New: Dial direct overseas from your landline or mobile from 2p only

Economikrisis

http://www.cheapercallrates.com

Just saw this on the web. This new direct dial facility lets users convert their international numbers to standard UK numbers. Have just called my brother in San Francisco for 2p a minute with no additional costs. I get billed on my BT line for using 0844 number.

This one's great! There are:
1. No additional costs
2. No access number to dial
3. Dial direct from your landline or mobile
4. No change of supplier or bill provider
5.No connection fee or set-up charge
6.No minimum spend requirement
7.No payment up front, no deposit required
8. No credit checks
9. No access number to dial

The Calls are only charged when the call is answered and is billed per second. Besides all calls are billed at a flat rate, peak daytime, evening and weekends. Absolutely no hidden costs!!!

Check this out http://www.cheapercallrates.com

allthatmularky

Presume this was a call from a mobile - otherwise 1899 for 3p for the call would beat this rate ?

Phonix

lol

"The number one cheap international call provider"

Almost as bad as tele2's slogan

"why pay more?"

Yes, why pay more?

http://84.246.159.124/index.cfm/pcms/site.Free_Registration_7_My_Account.Free_Registration_My_Account/

however this bit is an interesting service. I will check it out. If the above works it will be very cheap to ring abroad. And if you use a SIP phone it would be free.

Steve_xx

As I read it you have to dial an 0844 XXXXXX access number, then you would have to dial the full international number.

Therefore you would be charged by your UK service provider at their prevailing rates for dialling 0844 numbers.

They say they give you a UK number. What they don't say is whether or not this UK number will start with the geographic 01 or 02 prefixes, rather than the potentially more expensive 08 or 09 prefixes.If the numbersbegan with the 08 or 09 prefixes then the service would not be particularly suited to mobile users.

It seems like it's a bit of a rigmarole to me.

Phonix

Therefore you would be charged by your UK service provider at their prevailing rates for dialling 0844 numbers.

They say they give you a UK number. What they don't say is whether or not this UK number will start with the geographic 01 or 02 prefixes, rather than the potentially more expensive 08 or 09 prefixes.If the numbersbegan with the 08 or 09 prefixes then the service would not be particularly suited to mobile users.

It seems like it's a bit of a rigmarole to me.

Even if it's an 08 number, unless I'm mistake that still makes it very cheap to ring foriegn mobiles on the weekend. The cheapest I can ring a portuguese mobile is 15p/min +3p connection charge.

andy88_2

As I see it, it's fairly similar to callthrough operators using 0844, 0871, 0911 numbers, except that they will provide a dedicated number tied to a single destination; you can of course ask other companies to set up similar arrangements.

So the call charges as described will only apply to use from landlines. O2 will allow 0844 and 0870 numbers on most tariff plans, but 0871 usually costs 35p. Most other mobile operators will charge for all these numbers.

So, whilst it sounds very interesting at first, it doesn't look like there are big advantages over other possibilities we know already, except having only a single number. 18866, 1899, and all the others from Martin's call checker like Telediscount, etc, will be as good or better from landlines and Pre-dial and Simply-fone will take a lot to beat them from mobiles. And I can ring most European mobiles (which are not included from S-F) directly from Orange for 16.7p/min.

Also I wouldn't want to sign up for an account to find the number I wanted to dial was not recognised, as certain ranges of numbers are not available from all international bulk carriers.

andy88_2

Phonix wrote:

Even if it's an 08 number, unless I'm mistake that still makes it very cheap to ring foriegn mobiles on the weekend. The cheapest I can ring a portuguese mobile is 15p/min +3p connection charge.

I thought for a moment you'd spotted something I missed, but I think not.

Their rate for Portugal mobile is 20p

Phonix

Sorry I assumed that if it were an 0845 or 0870 number it would be charged at national rate. The rates are variable? You're only ringing an 08 bumber from a homephone, isn't that charged at a standard rate?

Heinz

Phonix wrote:

Sorry I assumed that if it were an 0845 or 0870 number it would be charged at national rate. The rates are variable? You're only ringing an 08 bumber from a homephone, isn't that charged at a standard rate?

"... national rate"? / "... a standard rate"? What are they?

The firms which run and/or use 0844, 0845, 0870 and 0871 numbers rely on people (like most of the population) not knowing the true cost of calling.

There are many cheap providers now but, using BT's charges as the yardstick (3p per minute weekdays and 5½p for up to an hour 1800-0600 weekdays and at weekends to any 01 or 02 number) you'll see what a rip-off most 08 numbers are.

THIS TABLE lists BT's charges to 08xx numbers - bear in mind other providers charge MORE.

andy88_2

Phonix wrote:

Sorry I assumed that if it were an 0845 or 0870 number it would be charged at national rate. The rates are variable? You're only ringing an 08 bumber from a homephone, isn't that charged at a standard rate?

I assumed that if it says the call rate is 20p, then it's an 0911 number

All of these great rates are available to you on a direct dial basis 24/7, that's all day peaktime, evenings and weekends. No more confusing tariffs

Phonix

"... national rate"? / "... a standard rate"? What are they?

The firms which run and/or use 0844, 0845, 0870 and 0871 numbers rely on people (like most of the population) not knowing the true cost of calling.

There are many cheap providers now but, using BT's charges as the yardstick (3p per minute weekdays and 5½p for up to an hour 1800-0600 weekdays and at weekends to any 01 or 02 number) you'll see what a rip-off most 08 numbers are.

THIS TABLE lists BT's charges to 08xx numbers - bear in mind other providers charge MORE.

Although your post has been made in a helpful manner and is of course to be encouraged I wasn't suggesting 08 numbers were the same as ringing a geographical number which as you know can be rung for 0p on 18866 and 1899.