Mobile Roaming: Cheapest Calls When You're Abroad

Cavey

For general catch-up I guess the best option is to ring him in the hotel from either the land line or Skype and leave the mobile for emergency calls ... and you can always keep him updated by text message... or SMS him and say "ring you in your room in ten minutes".

It's what I would do, but I guess it depends on how long your husband is going to be in Greece. If it was more than a week or two (or if it was going to be regular) I might look into getting a Greek SIM and unlocking your husband's handset.

redux

b!!!007 wrote: »

Hi guys
Could anyone please let me know which is easier in the Netherlands.
I need to make a call to let someone know when I arrive (to Netherland cell phone).
But is it best to use a phone there or take my mobile and try and make a call there - I am on Orange Dolphin. Do you need to buy special cards for their phones in Netherlands or can you use euro notes?
Thanks SO MUCH for your help!
Bob

If you intend to use the phone quite a bit, you might unlock your phone and get a local SIM card

But it sounds like you only mean one or two calls. Roaming tariffs aren't that bad nowadays (38p/min outgoing, 19p/min incoming), and call boxes are probably little or no cheaper to a mobile, especially if you end up with unused phonecard credit

redux

cretan_girl wrote: »

cheap international calls
Hi I am new to this site so bear with me. My husband if off to greece on business, we both have pay as you go vodofone mobiles and we also have a bt line. Now my question is, what will be the cheapest way to communicate,
bearing in mind if he receives calls in Greece he has to pay part of the call
charges. He does not use computers either. Be very grateful if anyone could come with some ideas.

For mobile to mobile calls, if his phone is on the Vodafone network in Greece, then incoming calls are 75 pence per call. And you might call him using Stop-the-clock for longer off-peak calls, or look into Vodafone Family - £5 a month gets you free calls to a few nominated phones (but check if it's still valid when those phones are abroad)

Cavey's suggestion of finding out the hotel room number is good, and you could use cheap calls providers as listed in the MSE Callchecker.

If he needs to make outgoing calls from the hotel, you could find out about callback services, which set up an incoming call, thus avoiding the hotel's high charges; this is also useful with a local SIM card. I can explain a bit more about this if necessary

mikegahan

The best option is landline in Uk to landline in Crete, On option is to buy calling credit from Just Dial( google it) by using credit on your mobile phone. They will text you a pin number and you call an access number to dial a landline or mobile in Crete. Their rates are good and i use them to call ireland a lot. You can check the call rates on their website. I also use the 18185 sevice but you do have to register with them beforehand. Or there are many
cheap access services covered on the homepage of this website; these do not require registration.

bryanb

Try sim4travel, you need an unlocked mobile. They have a website with the details

mikegahan

I agree with Redux. I was in Belgium recently and wanting only to make the odd call to the Uk I found mobile to Uk landline was the best way forward as the price is now capped. If more than that I am sure you could pick up a local phonecard.

cretan_girl

Cavey wrote: »

For general catch-up I guess the best option is to ring him in the hotel from either the land line or Skype and leave the mobile for emergency calls ... and you can always keep him updated by text message... or SMS him and say "ring you in your room in ten minutes".

It's what I would do, but I guess it depends on how long your husband is going to be in Greece. If it was more than a week or two (or if it was going to be regular) I might look into getting a Greek SIM and unlocking your husband's handset.

Thanks for taking the time to reply will look into your suggestions.
Ta

cretan_girl

Cavey wrote: »

For general catch-up I guess the best option is to ring him in the hotel from either the land line or Skype and leave the mobile for emergency calls ... and you can always keep him updated by text message... or SMS him and say "ring you in your room in ten minutes".

It's what I would do, but I guess it depends on how long your husband is going to be in Greece. If it was more than a week or two (or if it was going to be regular) I might look into getting a Greek SIM and unlocking your husband's handset.

Skype would be a good idea if he was any good with a computer, sadly he
isn't.
Thanks for your help.

cretan_girl

mikegahan wrote: »

The best option is landline in Uk to landline in Crete, On option is to buy calling credit from Just Dial( google it) by using credit on your mobile phone. They will text you a pin number and you call an access number to dial a landline or mobile in Crete. Their rates are good and i use them to call ireland a lot. You can check the call rates on their website. I also use the 18185 sevice but you do have to register with them beforehand. Or there are many
cheap access services covered on the homepage of this website; these do not require registration.

will look into this, sounds quite interesting.
Ta!

cretan_girl

bryanb wrote: »

Try sim4travel, you need an unlocked mobile. They have a website with the details

Will look into this too.
Ta!