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Cheapest way of calling and texting a Dutch mobile in France from an English mobile

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So my Dutch girlfriend has just moved to France for a year and I'm left with the problem of contacting her.

All the cheap phone deals are very unclear as to whether they would work with my situation, as I don't know whether it would be the same price if I have to go through the Dutch network as well.

Has anyone had any experience of such a convoluted inter-country syste and know how best to go about contacting her when I'm strapped for cash? The only way I have at the moment is a package from 3 to call international landlines 3000 minutes at £15 a month, but I have no way of knowing whether she will have a landline at her new apartment. I need a backup plan to call her mobile for cheap, I'd also like to be able to text her if I can.

Any advice would be brilliant.
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Comments

  • mchale
    mchale Posts: 1,886 Forumite
    Send her a o2 payg sim card with my europe extra on it
    ANURADHA KOIRALA ??? go on throw it in google.
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 1 September 2011 at 12:00AM
    For you it makes no difference where the Dutch mobile is. It costs you the same to call and text as if it was in Holland.

    She will pay roaming charges for receiving/making calls and sending texts. Incoming texts are free (I think, at list it's the case for UK sims).

    If she has any UK roaming sim you can use inclusive texts to text her (or pay UK rate) and it costs her nothing to receive the texts.
  • vax2002
    vax2002 Posts: 7,187 Forumite
    Skype
    it is free
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam
  • I'm still having problems with texting, there doesn't seem to be a cheap way to text dutch mobiles. Also she hasn't got internet in her flat, so skyping is impossible.

    However, she does have internet at work, are there any websites we can go on to chat when shes got a break? She obviously can't log into skype and facebook is blocked.
  • Any
    Any Posts: 7,959 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I'm still having problems with texting, there doesn't seem to be a cheap way to text dutch mobiles. Also she hasn't got internet in her flat, so skyping is impossible.

    However, she does have internet at work, are there any websites we can go on to chat when shes got a break? She obviously can't log into skype and facebook is blocked.

    If you have Skype, you can purchase credit on your Skype account and text to any mobile in the world cost about £0.062p. You can also call any mobile through it then. It costs about 10p I think, but not entirely sure now ans can slightly differ by country. Calling landline is cheaper.

    I have Skype app on my Iphone and use it to call my friends living abroad when at home on Wifi. Also use it on holiday when hotel has wifi at reception.. saves you fortune!

    http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/prices/payg-rates/
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    However, she does have internet at work, are there any websites we can go on to chat when shes got a break? She obviously can't log into skype and facebook is blocked.
    MSN? Google mail?
  • Texting via skype seems like a good option. This is 7p a text, which I guess is a good improvement over 21p.

    And to Grumbler, I think most email sites are banned - hotmail certainly is. I'll check out msn, I thought that they just did a downloadable version which I don't think is an option for her.
  • Im_just_careful
    Im_just_careful Posts: 921 Forumite
    edited 6 September 2011 at 9:26PM
    Get the phone unlocked and put a local SIM in. Otherwise buy a cheap mobile.

    For example http://mobile.carrefour.fr/espace-mobile/zte-x991.php?offre=sd

    It's not a great phone but would at least reduce the call costs.

    Many phones can run a MSN client.

    Ideally she needs a phone that can use Skype and some form of data package.
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 6 September 2011 at 10:15PM
    Buy two cheap unlocked phones if you don't have spares. One for you and one for her.
    Buy a UK PAYG sim for her and ask her to buy a French or Dutch (her choice) PAYG sim for you.
    Insert the new sims into the spare phones and use them for receiving messages.
    Send messages from your main phones. Both of you will pay local rates or use inclusive texts.
    headshot_of_cross-eyed_mature_businessman_with_two_080428bl.jpg
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