18185 Call Quality?

cea5t

Have recently switched from 1899 to 18185 to benefit from their cheaper mobile rates, as recommended by MSE.

On several UK landline -UK landline calls made via 18185, I have noticed a distinct time-gap in communications, causing both parties to speak at the same time then pause at the same time, just like the long-distance phone calls of yesteryear. In addition, this morning I had one non-connection followed by a disconnected call.

Does anyone share this experience of poor call quality with 18185?

I am inclined to go back to 1899, although I had assumed they are all operating on similar call routings, which I believe must be via the USA.

CEA5T

Heinz

Welcome to the MSE forums cea5t.

1899, 18866 and 18185 are all the same company (as you can tell from the similarity of their web sites and the same voice being used on the tariff announcements) so it's just as likely you'll have problems with any of them.

Having said that, I've been using them all for over 3 years now and, although I have had the (very) occasional problem with call quality, the number is very few.

cea5t

Many thanks Heinz.

I did notice the distinct similarities between 1899 and 18185 (18866 too), so their service is obviously being provided through white labelling.

The quality problems today must be pure coincidence, so I'll soldier on for the time being.

One slight doubt though - I believe my calls using 1899 were received with the caller ID "international." I just rang my own mobile via 18185, and the caller ID showed as my UK landline number. Is the routing of calls (by all of these services) variable, dependent on capacity?

CEA5T

Heinz

AFAIAA, because BT strips out CLIs from incoming international calls (I'm sure they have a reason for doing so but I can't fathom it), calls to UK landlines using 18185 (etc.) usually produce a Caller Display of 'International' during the day and the UK number in international format evenings and weekends (which probably indicates how the calls are routed at different times).

Calls to UK mobiles invariably produce a Caller Display in international format because the mobile companies do not strip out the CLIs.

imho

I switched ages ago from another cheap call provider to 18185 and always find its great for making cheap calls .They now do text messages for 1p, international the same price,only problem with the text message service is you never know if its been delivered and there is no where on the site you can store your mobile numbers you want to text to. I am used to using cbfsms and that tells you if its been delivered and has a phone book as well but the text are 5p international . .

BexTech

I found only around 2% of texts via cbfsms have ever gone through in the many years I tried them.

buglawton

When you send a text via 18185 there's a drop down box with the "Caller ID". The only options are my landlines and oddly enough, 18185's 0808 UK access number. Even though my mobile is regd as the MAIN number.

Anyone know a) If the caller ID part works and b) How to enter your own mobile as the caller id?

BexTech

buglawton wrote: »

When you send a text via 18185 there's a drop down box with the "Caller ID". The only options are my landlines and oddly enough, 18185's 0808 UK access number. Even though my mobile is regd as the MAIN number.

Anyone know a) If the caller ID part works and b) How to enter your own mobile as the caller id?

You'll need to dial either the 0808 access number or 020 access number from your mobile phone and make a quick call using the 18185 service. Seems their way of verifying the mobile number, though with their VoIP service they use the old method of sending you a text and you entering the receive validation code.


Once you have made a quick call, within 10 mins or so, your mobile number will then be available as a CLID option.

buglawton

Tried it and fully correct, BexTech! Now why couldn't 18185 have mentioned that somewhere obvious in their own site! I have been looking for some time for a service to replace the now removed Yahoo web texting service, and 18185 allows replies to go straight to one's mobile. At 1/10th of Yahoo's price. Brilliant!

MothballsWallet

I've been using 18185 for a few weeks now, and I find that their line quality is better than Telediscount.

I call my wife in Russia, and the Telediscount service seemed to have more noise on the line - 18185 is clear.

It's interesting that this is on calls to Russia, which doesn't have the most reliable phone system in the world...

I just got my first bill from them - 2.5 hours of landline calls for about £1.50, which is really good :money:!

buglawton

Just tried an international SMS on 18185 but no guidance on how to enter it. I assume that say, 0049 1234567 is the correct format for Germany? Or should it be +49 or just 49 at the start?