Inclusive minutes to the Isle of Man?

MCrabbe

Hi,

Are there any networks whose inclusive minutes can be used to call Isle of Man mobile numbers?

I'm looking to get a new contract for my iPhone. I use a lot of data and would ideally have around 500 minutes that could also be used to call the Isle of Man. Does anyone know the cheapest option?

Cheers,
Mike

macman

The IOM is a self-governing Crown Dependancy, not part of either the UK or GB, so it will be charged as if phoning a foreign mobile network.
The Manx government issues it's own mobile operating licences.

NFH

I think there's a good chance that one of the UK networks will include calls to IOM mobile numbers within bundled minutes. I know, for example, that Orange UK includes texts to Channel Islands numbers within monthly allowances. I'm not sure whether they do the same for calls though. The least likely is T-Mobile, because they even exclude a handful of UK mobile networks from inclusive minutes.

Buzby

O2 used to, as it was (under Cellnet) that built and operated the network there on behalf of the IoM Communications Department. They were also o2's 3G test bed years ago - but all this ended, and I know of no UK network that treats the IoM as billable in the same way as UK mobiles.

sdduk

You may need to ask the mobile networks because i don't know if it covers the IOM

To be honest i sent a package to IOM and it was the same price as if i would have sent it to somewere in the UK and that was last week i did that so i don't know how that works

i do know it self self-governing.

boundy

There are 2 main networks on IoM, Manx Telecom and Sure, I grabbed a Sure sim when I was out there and was charged extra for phoning UK Orange and vice versa for my Wife

redux

O2 and giffgaff include calls to Isle of Man and Channel Islands mobiles (and landlines), and certain other non main network UK prefixes such as Tru and Lyca and Swiftnet

Vodafone and Three exclude them and charge something daft like 40 or 50 pence a minute.

As for what is now EE, Orange used to include IoM, and may still have done so, but even over the last year or two they tend to have inherited some of T-mobile's practices of excluding or sanctioning various numbers, so what the merged operation is doing now I don't know

grumbler

redux wrote: »

O2 and giffgaff include calls to Isle of Man and Channel Islands mobiles (and landlines),

http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Submit-Great-giffgaff-Ideas/Do-not-remove-bundle-minutes-to-Channel-Islands-please/idi-p/6231242

[FONT=book antiqua,palatino]'' From the 6-th of Nov 2012 The Channel Islands and Isle of Man (currently in bundle) will be charged at standard EU rates and, this will be displayed clearly on the pricing pages once implemented ''[/FONT]

http://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly-and-Pay-Go/O2-Inclusive-Minutes/td-p/191171

Below is from t&c for contracts after june 2010 note mobiles are charged according to this I have underlined it but landline 01etc are included

Inclusive minutes can not be used for calls made in the UK to:
...
non-standard or "special" 07 numbers (all those 07 numbers that are not specifically included in your inclusive minutes, including 07 numbers allocated to network operators in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man), which are charged at 25p per minute, except Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man numbers which are charged at 20.4p per minute,

thefirs

If you are consuming serious time on one or two IOM mobile numbers, have a look at setting up a https://www.localphone.com UK landline number that will forward the call for under 10p/min. Still no snip, but a reasonable reduction.

grumbler

If it's just a few numbers at IOM that you call, then http://www.manifone.com/cheap-calls-to-Isle+of+Man seems to be a good option if it's really 0p for mobiles.

redux

grumbler wrote: »

If it's just a few numbers at IOM that you call, than http://www.manifone.com/cheap-calls-to-Isle+of+Man seems to be a good option if it's really 0p for mobiles.

I wouldn't count on that rate.

There a rate search box on their site. I put in an Isle of Man mobile number and was told the rate to Guernsey is 1.5 cents a minute plus VAT

I tried Cloud9 and Truphone mobile numbers, and these were also described as Guernsey

So I tried O2 and Orange numbers, and apparently they think these are Guernsey as well

And so is a London landline