Phones in Halls of Residence

rickyc_3

Last year as well in halls although out going call were a rip off. Incoming calls were a 0161 number. This year we have a 0845 bloody stupid. Old system worked fine and they just want to rip us off this year not happy!

PasturesNew

Get Skype - free.
Get SkypeIn - this gives you a phone number people can call you on. Plus, you get free voicemail on it to receive messages. You aren't paying for people to call you. It is a fixed 3-monthly cost.
Get SkypeOut - this enables you to use your PC as a phone and the calls are quite cheap too.

Benefits:
you can re-route your SkypeIn number to any phone you want, so to your parents at holiday times (although you do pay for the call routing at the standard rates for each call if you do this)
free answerphone that you can pick up from anywhere where you can log onto skype
it's cheap
it's portable

Downsides:
have to get the headset/phone handset to plug into your PC (it's not expensive, but you will need something to hear and something to speak into)
you have to have the PC turned on to receive/make phone calls.

You can skype-to-skype free of charge. So get all your mates on it.
You can even do conference calls on it by getting a few in on one call.

rickyc_3

or i could use a proper VOIP like sip gate and get a free incoming number!
SKYPE = rubbish!

Crabman

Have a look at www.sipgate.co.uk where you can get a free geographical number (i.e. 0207, etc.) for free incoming calls wherever you are. No obligation to make any outgoing calls or charge with credit!

That way your callers don't pay extra to call you and don't need to use a computer for it. Just to point out, it's VoIP, like Skype, so the PC must be on and internet connected to receive the call.

Torby

rickyc wrote: »

or i could use a proper VOIP like sip gate and get a free incoming number!
SKYPE = rubbish!

or you could get a mobile contract from 3 for £15 per month...have 500 mins, get £30 for refer a friend and £55 back through Quidco

or skype or sip gate as you've already pointed out... in fact what is your point really?...there are loads of options out there....and if you don't use their phone service, whats your gripe....or are you just having a moan...just out of curiosity....how much is it worth to someone to be able to have a quick phone conversation in an emergency...everything is relative...you choose...you don't like the system...don't use it

rickyc_3

Torby wrote: »

or you could get a mobile contract from 3 for £15 per month...have 500 mins, get £30 for refer a friend and £55 back through Quidco

or skype or sip gate as you've already pointed out... in fact what is your point really?...there are loads of options out there....and if you don't use their phone service, whats your gripe....or are you just having a moan...just out of curiosity....how much is it worth to someone to be able to have a quick phone conversation in an emergency...everything is relative...you choose...you don't like the system...don't use it

Yes i am having a moan, because last year it meant people could ring you for low cost or for free as it was a standard area code. This year they have changed to 0845 number there is no need. The old system worked fine. Just another way they making money from us!

Crabman

Which university in Manchester? Run it through a search at www.saynoto0870.com - many universities' alternative numbers are listed there, have a look if you haven't already. Sipgate is your best bet if your callers don't have a PC and Skype if they do.

rickyc_3

Salford nope all of us have a different 0870 number!

ooooooh

I agree RickyC - it's shocking. Lots of peeps pay in advance for 'talk unlimited' packages etc with their landline - an 0161 number would be 'free' but an 08 number would not :mad:

saynoto0870.com is a great service but it doesn't work for all numbers - and sometimes you need to be transferred, transferred and transferred to get to the person you wish to speak to :rolleyes:

Bring back standard numbers - that's what I say.

Crabman

I think you should approach the student newspaper and SU - they should be interested in this as it's the university making profits at students' (and their families') expense. That's the only way standard numbers may even be considered again - the university know what they're doing but they'll still play dumb and pretend they don't realise they're getting money out of each call.

Another idea: try phoning the university switchboard and ask for extension number xxxx (assuming you know your internal extension number), you never know, and you lose nothing by trying