Mobile Roaming: Cheapest Calls When You're Abroad

gregory77

Good news!
There is a new Low Cost International Calls provider called Mo-Call .:beer:

It is fantastic for many reasons:
- no need to change Sim card (download software on you mobile phone);
- free first £2.50 - no credit card needed
- excellent customer service, you email them they call you back within 390mn!

:money:Here are the rates:
http://www.mo-call.com/en/mobilecallrates/

Another good thing is that if you enter your debit card / credit card details on their website, you can choose an option that automatically top-up you Mo-call credit as soon as you run out and as little as £5!

Enjoy!
:rotfl:

MSE admin should add it to the MSE Cheap Roaming Calls article:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-roaming-calls

redux

gregory77 wrote: »

It is fantastic for many reasons:
[...]

MSE admin should add it to the MSE Cheap Roaming Calls article:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-roaming-calls

Why?

It seems more expensive than many callthrough and callback services.

Thus, for use in Europe in conjunction with a bought local SIM card, it seems to be rarely any cheaper than roaming with a UK SIM. And in quite a few countries now, there are SIMs with cheaper direct-dialled int'l rates.

And as deanos27 has already pointed out by implication, if roaming outside the home country of the SIM, it's probably more expensive.

Its rates for callback use with UK non main networks, which will include such as IoM and Jersey numbered global roaming SIMs, are absolutely atrocious at 62.5 pence to over £1 a minute

meinnit

Looking to purchase a local USA SIM card from eBay. Do AT&T or T-Mobile charge for incoming calls? Also who is the best for data rates?

srajenkinson

Hello All

Just a note (as if you didn't need reminding) to check your bills when you've been abroad... Vodafone Passport was meant to be on my small business tariff as standard, and I also phoned to check it was set up before I went to Italy in October 08 for a week.

The bills afterwards seemed much higher that expected, and when I looked at the itemised bills (had to make the effort to look online, so easy to miss if you just look at the posted paper summary) it was clear that Passport wasn't in operation and instead of paying a fixed fee (approx 75p per incoming call), I was being charged several pounds depending on the call length.

When I queried this, the business customer service representative Rebecca Darrington looked into it, and promptly sorted out a refund of nearly £60. Basically, there had been a billing error by Vodafone... ie the reduced passport charges were not applied and I was initially billed full price.

So well done to them and Rebecca for putting it right promptly, but clearly if I hadn't queried it, it would have gone unnoticed... so there is a particular danger that if you only have a small number of calls, being billed and extra £10 - £20 may go unnoticed.

Vodafone passport is described at: http://www.abroad.vodafone.co.uk/index.cfm?do=cost.passport&me=a1&nu=1&le=1&business=true&sn=s6

So check your bill, especially the first time you go abroad.

Hope this is helpful - thanks for a great site

Steve Jenkinson

Hopeful2

I am wanting to call my family in Australia who have an english t mobile with them. Can you please explain the cheapest way - should they call me or the other way and should I use my own mobile or home phone. thankyou

redux

Hopeful2 wrote: »

I am wanting to call my family in Australia who have an english t mobile with them. Can you please explain the cheapest way - should they call me or the other way and should I use my own mobile or home phone. thankyou

Calling to a UK mobile costs you the same wherever it is. But they will incur roaming charges, at rates you can find on T-mobile website. Probably the cheapest is for them to get a local SIM and you to use cheap calls provider - see MSE Callchecker

teakbank12

Going to Jersey for a few days. Do i take my BTMobile contract phone or my PAYG o2 mobile??
I'm not bothered if people cannot get hold of me on my usual BTMobile number but more important for me when i want to make the odd call home to family..or receive a call from family back home.
Ive checked both phones are unblocked for international usage, just dont want a shock when i get home on the contract phone or use up all my PAYG minutes in seconds on the o2 phone.
I think ive worked out it will cost 35ppm calling on o2 & 18ppm to receive a call??
Not sure of the BTMobile costs.

Do i buy a Jersey sim once out there as another option?

Any experts out there to confirm best options?

redux

The BT Mobile roaming costs may be similar, but it isn't guaranteed as Jersey is not in the EU. So check with them, and if their rates are higher you could forward to your O2 SIM.

If you'll receive a lot of calls (i.e. total over an hour), it might be worth adding O2's My Europe Extra - costs £10 a month, then incoming calls free, outgoing 25p.

Jersey has three networks, and I think Airtel-Vodafone has the most interesting rates - 5p local calls, 10p to UK and EU destinations including mobiles (except Poland and Portugal landlines @ 3p). Others are Jersey Telecom and Sure.

If you get a local SIM, check in advance whether forwarding calls to it would be inclusive in your BT minutes; I rather suspect not.

melbourne_3

Can anyone help me? I have bought a Sim4travel card for my son to use abroad. How do I call him from the UK cheaply. Is it classed as an overseas call? I tried to use my free minutes on my mobile but it charged me. Is this routed through Liechenstein still?

redux

melbourne wrote: »

Can anyone help me? I have bought a Sim4travel card for my son to use abroad. How do I call him from the UK cheaply. Is it classed as an overseas call? I tried to use my free minutes on my mobile but it charged me. Is this routed through Liechenstein still?

It's a Jersey number, possibly inclusive on O2 Orange and Virgin contracts. Otherwise, use a cheap calls provider such as 18185 or Justvoip etc, same rates as to UK mobile