Phoning mobile Germany from UK - cheapest way

Spivved1987

My daughter is currently living in Germany and uses a mobile phone with a German, not UK, sim. What is the cheapest way to call her from the UK? I can use either my landline, or my mobile or even Skype at a push to do this. To head off any suggestions, please note that there is no possibility of being able to call a LANDLINE in Germany.

Any help appreciated.

PS Nor any suggestions about Facebook etc to keep in touch. The question is as specific as I can make it !

Heinz

The MSE International CallChecker will tell you.

The following link shows costs from a BT landline. You can change that if you use another provider.

http://callchecker.moneysavingexpert.com/intcallchecker/germany-mobile/bt/easy

As you can see, many of the options show how to call cheaper than calling a UK mobile!

Spivved1987

Unfortunately that site comes with a warning:

"this is an AUTO-generated list, errors can and do happen. Always double check the price first yourself."

......which rather defeats the object !

Heinz

Spivved1987 wrote: »

Unfortunately that site comes with a warning:

"this is an AUTO-generated list, errors can and do happen. Always double check the price first yourself."

......which rather defeats the object !

You lost me there. How would you like your question answered then?

OK, if you have a BT landline, my recommendation is to open a 18185 account and use the 18185 prefix. 4p connection + 10p per minute. Totally reliable (I've use them for 7 years) but most certainly not the cheapest (as you'll gather if you check that link again - they're 20th from the top!).

baldelectrician

If your daughter has a phone that does apps (such as an Android, Symbian or an I-Phone) you can get an app called Fring

You both install it and it uses 3G or WiFi to transfer the call over data rather than as a call. It was free last time I looked.

Spivved1987

baldelectrician wrote: »

If your daughter has a phone that does apps (such as an Android, Symbian or an I-Phone) you can get an app called Fring

You both install it and it uses 3G or WiFi to transfer the call over data rather than as a call. It was free last time I looked.

No, she has a contract mobile at home in the UK, but since I pay it I have not allowed her to take it abroad - too much potential to run up a huge bill, whether by accident or design. So she is just using a German Pay & Go sim in a cheap phone.

baldelectrician

Spivved1987 wrote: »

No, she has a contract mobile at home in the UK, but since I pay it I have not allowed her to take it abroad - too much potential to run up a huge bill, whether by accident or design. So she is just using a German Pay & Go sim in a cheap phone.

She can install the app on her German handset and use that to call you

The calls will route through her 3G (data) or Wifi and not as a standard telephone call.

redux

From the options on the Callchecker, I think I'd choose Localphone at 3.8 p.min

Several of the other options are via 0844 or 0871 numbers which also have a per call connection fee, though if your calls are fairly long I suppose the connection fee becomes less significant

With Localphone you can set up an alias number in your local exchange which diverts to her German number, which is useful if your landline has an inclusive call bundle, or if not they also have a freephone access number for a penny a minute more.

fannyadams

Can you skype mobiles from PC/Laptop? is it really simple?
DS#1 GF is up north and he wants to contact her on her mobile, I can install skype on his laptop for him to contact her that way.
So will it work?
TIA
FA
x

redux

fannyadams wrote: »

Can you skype mobiles from PC/Laptop? is it really simple?
DS#1 GF is up north and he wants to contact her on her mobile, I can install skype on his laptop for him to contact her that way.
So will it work?
TIA
FA
x

It would work, but check the tariffs, as Skype rates for calling mobiles are not all that attractive.

There are other VoIP (voice over internet) possibilities with cheaper rates (down to 2 or 3 pence a minute), or you could use a cheap calls provider from the landline, or possibly call from another mobile on the same network, if they have useful call rates to other customers - some do, some don't.