Calling the US from a UK mobile - Cheapest way?

Marvqn1

What is the cheapest way to phone a US landline from a UK mobile on the EE network?

I've searched on Google. I've seen sites such as JustCall which say you can phone a USA landline from a mobile for 0.5p/min, but they say you need to buy credit in advance.

JustCall provides two options to call the mobile access number. A number that begins with 0207 or an 0800 number. Does this mean it would be free to phone the access number because 0800 calls are free on EE PAYG?

Also, is there any type of similar service to JustCall that is pay as you go, so you don't need to buy credit in advance?

grumbler

0800 numbers are now free to call to from all mobiles, either pay monthly or PAYG.

It's not EE, but if you call really a lot, you can get 3000 minutes for a month for £10 with O2 International Favourites bundle.

Ian011

Does your pay-as-you-go deal have an inclusive monthly allowance, or are your calls charged at an extortionate per-minute rate? Hopefully not the latter.

The 020 number would use your inclusive allowance.

The 080 number would be a free call.

Both of these would require you to pay the dial-through provider for the international leg of the call. This can be on account or by some sort of top-up in advance.

Be aware that most dial-through providers charge a slightly higher amount for international calls if you use their 080 access number. This is because they have to compensate the caller's landline or mobile provider for the fact that the caller paid them nothing for the call. This surcharge can be several pence per minute.

Some other dial-through providers offer an 03 number for access. These will also use your inclusive allowance. However, and this is the important point, as the termination rate for 03 numbers is around 0.56p per minute, as opposed to around 0.21p per minute for 01 and 02 numbers, providers that offer access via an 03 number have a list of destinations where no additional fee is paid. Usually, most of the destinations are in Europe, but some providers also allow calls to the USA.

If you are on EE (or Orange, T-Mobile, O2, Vodafone, Three), stay clear of providers offering 084 or 087 access numbers. You'll pay an Access Charge of 44p or 45p per minute plus an additional Service Charge of up to 7p per minute for 084 numbers or up to 13p per minute for 087 numbers.

Look for a provider offering an 03 access number and you could be making international calls at no additional charge and within your inclusive allowance.

Whatever number you call via, 01, 02 or 03, be aware that if they exclude the number from your inclusive allowance, it could work out very expensive.

If you pay an extortionate per-minute rate for calls to 01, 02 and 03 numbers, your only option through EE is a dial-through provider with a freephone 080 number.

Marvqn1

Thanks for your advice.

Ian011 wrote: »

Does your pay-as-you-go deal have an inclusive monthly allowance, or are your calls charged at an extortionate per-minute rate? Hopefully not the latter.

The 020 number would use your inclusive allowance.

The 080 number would be a free call.

Both of these would require you to pay the dial-through provider for the international leg of the call. This can be on account or by some sort of top-up in advance.

I don't think there is any inclusive monthly allowance on my EE PAYG.

Ian011 wrote: »

Be aware that most dial-through providers charge a slightly higher amount for international calls if you use their 080 access number. This is because they have to compensate the caller's landline or mobile provider for the fact that the caller paid them nothing for the call. This surcharge can be several pence per minute.

Some other dial-through providers offer an 03 number for access. These will also use your inclusive allowance. However, and this is the important point, as the termination rate for 03 numbers is around 0.56p per minute, as opposed to around 0.21p per minute for 01 and 02 numbers, providers that offer access via an 03 number have a list of destinations where no additional fee is paid. Usually, most of the destinations are in Europe, but some providers also allow calls to the USA.

If you are on EE (or Orange, T-Mobile, O2, Vodafone, Three), stay clear of providers offering 084 or 087 access numbers. You'll pay an Access Charge of 44p or 45p per minute plus an additional Service Charge of up to 7p per minute for 084 numbers or up to 13p per minute for 087 numbers.

Look for a provider offering an 03 access number and you could be making international calls at no additional charge and within your inclusive allowance.

Whatever number you call via, 01, 02 or 03, be aware that if they exclude the number from your inclusive allowance, it could work out very expensive.

If you pay an extortionate per-minute rate for calls to 01, 02 and 03 numbers, your only option through EE is a dial-through provider with a freephone 080 number.

It seems that I'll have to search further because the JustCall FAQ page says the service is available on O2, Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile and Three. No mention of EE.

It also says in the FAQ that if you use the freephone access number you will be charged a surcharge of 2p/min.

So am I correct in thinking, if I can find a service provider similar to JustCall that works with EE, apart from the connection fee of about 30p, the total cost to call a US landline should be no more than 2.5p a minute in total, including the access charge and the service charge?

Ypaymore

In the absence of any inclusive minutes .
You could use a Mobile Short Code like https://www.dialacode.com just 3p a minute taken direct from your Payg Credit. Or you could use a callback service like https://www.localphone.com a prepaid account 0.5p a minute x 2 .You pay both legs of call.

redux

As well as the methods above, look up international rates on the mobile network's own site.

Nowadays most have cheap rates from a couple of pence a minute to USA, either for all calls, or with a free add-on option.

You said you're on EE payg. 3p/min for a direct dialled call, once you've added the option by texting CALL ABROAD to 150.

You can get slightly cheaper with other methods, but now many calls will you make?

If you have a suitable phone you can use wifi coverage, or if your SIM has free data, then you could make VoIP calls for well under a penny a minute, even free with some applications and providers.

Ian011

Marvqn1 wrote: »

I don't think there is any inclusive monthly allowance on my EE PAYG.

If that is the case, you can't use dial-through providers with an 01, 02 or 03 access number.

Marvqn1 wrote: »

It seems that I'll have to search further because the JustCall FAQ page says the service is available on O2, Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile and Three. No mention of EE.

The omission of EE probably means that JustCall are unaware of the Orange/T-Mobile merger or haven't bothered to update their web page.

EE cannot charge for calls to 080 numbers. These calls have to be free, but they may have blocked access to it making it impossible to use.

Marvqn1 wrote: »

It also says in the FAQ that if you use the freephone access number you will be charged a surcharge of 2p/min.

Yes, I mentioned this in the previous post. JustCall has to pay your mobile provider for the call, because you didn't. That's how 080 numbers work.

Marvqn1 wrote: »

So am I correct in thinking, if I can find a service provider similar to JustCall that works with EE, apart from the connection fee of about 30p, the total cost to call a US landline should be no more than 2.5p a minute in total, including the access charge and the service charge?

Yes. You've got it, except, as noted above, this service probably already works with EE anyway.

One note of caution on international dial-through providers where you top up in advance. Be aware of how long any unused credit lasts for before it expires.

darren72

If you are just wanting to call the US, use one of the many call through providers that provide access via an 01 or 03 telephone number - There is no sign up required, and the calls come out of your inclusive minutes.

Here are three ones you could try:

http://www.callsdiscount.com/uk/en/destinations
http://www.callstunt.com/
https://www.freecallstousa.co.uk/

Hope this helps

Bordeuax

try skype its free ..email the other person and both set up an account ...sometimes I skype a person in the same house ( I say ''stop watching !!!!!!'')for a laugh.
Best thing is use it with my pc and mobile as cctv. it called Alfred ap or something good fun.
you tube, how to use skype

Ian011

This might be the time to review whether a deal with an inclusive allowance of calls to geographic numbers starting 01 and 02 and to non-geographic numbers starting 03 (and to mobile numbers starting 071-075 and 077-079, of course) will be cheaper than whatever you're currently doing.

wongawonga

darren72 wrote: »

If you are just wanting to call the US, use one of the many call through providers that provide access via an 01 or 03 telephone number - There is no sign up required, and the calls come out of your inclusive minutes.

Here are three ones you could try:

http://www.callsdiscount.com/uk/en/destinations
http://www.callstunt.com/
https://www.freecallstousa.co.uk/

Hope this helps

What Inclusive Minutes the Original Poster says.

I don't think there is any inclusive monthly allowance on my EE PAYG.