The International CallChecker discussion thread 2

horton_2

hello. i currently have a temp phone (bought yesterday) to keep up with my friends wheni go to spain (tomorrow) - they'll also be on spain, but probably on UK roaming tarrifs. what's the easiest stroke cheapest option. Can i just buy a sim card when i hit spain?

hj x

Heinz

Local PAYG SIMs (in yours and your friends' phones) will be the cheapest option.

Remember that all phones will have to be unlocked to accept a foreign SIM though.

If none of you changes SIMs, you'll probably be paying about 35p/minute for your calls (well, that's what the Giffgaff text told me when I visited Portugal last week).

savemymoney2011

Looking at the Sky tariff they seem to charge 10p a minute for dialling an 0844... number.
In the past they have also blocked the 18185 style call diverters.

So am I misunderstanding or is it just a fact of life that to have family overseas then Sky is not an option?

jhp

savemymoney2011 wrote: »

Looking at the Sky tariff they seem to charge 10p a minute for dialling an 0844... number.
In the past they have also blocked the 18185 style call diverters.

So am I misunderstanding or is it just a fact of life that to have family overseas then Sky is not an option?

As far as i am aware Sky charge the same as BT for calling 0844 numbers. What destination are you wanting to call?

You can use 18185 on Sky via its 0808 Freephone Access Number.

http://www.18185.co.uk/mobilerates.php


Also if you have inclusive landline minutes you could use www.localphone.com via a geographical access number.

Heinz

savemymoney2011 wrote: »

Looking at the Sky tariff they seem to charge 10p a minute for dialling an 0844... number.
In the past they have also blocked the 18185 style call diverters.

So am I misunderstanding or is it just a fact of life that to have family overseas then Sky is not an option?

Sky's charges for 0844 calls are approximately (I haven't checked in depth) the same as BT (between just over ½p/minute and 5p/minute depending on the 5th, 6th and 7th digits).

http://www.sky.com/shop/__PDF/8968_Sky_Talk_Tariff_Guide_V4_HR_RGB.pdf

If you have Sky line rental, indirect access codes like 18185 and 1899 are barred. However, you can still use their respective 0808 freephone gateway numbers to make calls, albeit at higher rates than with the prefix. If you have BT line rental but Sky Talk as your calls provider, you can still use indirect access codes like 18185.

With Sky Talk Unlimited (£5/month), you get inclusive calls to 20 countries so, if the family happen to be in one of those countries, Sky Talk Unlimted is for you.

leaphaze

I used the International CallChecker a few weeks ago to find out the cheapest way to call Ireland and was delighed to find TeleTop which enables you to call Ireland (landline) for 0p per min (connection 5p). It's one of those providers where you call a premium rate number to clock up a balance, then use another number to make the calls.

I used this twice with no problems. I checked the International CallChecker again today, and they're no longer listed. Worried that they'd gone out of business, or hiked their prices, I've just checked their website. Prices haven't changed.

So I wonder why they've disappeared from the list?

Any thoughts anyone?

buglawton

Hmm the site style looks awfully reminiscent of the 18185 / 1899 offerings - if the provider is really the same then you should be ok. The idea of auto renewing topups going out of one's mobile is a bit unnerving though.

Been a user of 18185 etc for many years now.

[ from a bit of Googling, Teletop does appear to be a Fineria company, owner of 18185 et al ]

leaphaze

buglawton wrote: »

Hmm the site style looks awfully reminiscent of the 18185 / 1899 offerings - if the provider is really the same then you should be ok. The idea of auto renewing topups going out of one's mobile is a bit unnerving though.

Been a user of 18185 etc for many years now.

[ from a bit of Googling, Teletop does appear to be a Fineria company, owner of 18185 et al ]

Yes, I'm sure it's the same company. You get the same female announcer when you make a call. I'm using this from my landline, rather than mobile, so no concerns there.

Just wondering why they've disappeared from the International CallChecker, since they're cheaper than anyone else.

buglawton

If you have evidence it's the cheapest, I'm sure MSE has a suggestions box system where you can update this.

What with different rates to all types of phone, mobile, Int'l, 0870 etc its a complicated call to say 'it's the cheapest'.

leaphaze

buglawton wrote: »

If you have evidence it's the cheapest, I'm sure MSE has a suggestions box system where you can update this.

What with different rates to all types of phone, mobile, Int'l, 0870 etc its a complicated call to say 'it's the cheapest'.

Not complicated - quite simple really using the International CallChecker, that's why it's so brilliant!

My input was:
Country you're calling: Ireland Landline
Calling from a: Landline
Pick your Landline: Primus

A few weeks ago top of the list was TeleTop: 0p/min (5p connection);
now it's Telesavers: 0.43p/min (10.5p connection).

As I say, it's simple to see which is cheapest.

By the way this is not a criticism of the International CallChecker, just interested in the techniques used.