Calling USA to UK daily, most efficient way? (if new to a smartphone! -Whatsapp etc)

katesheet

Here is the situation:

My friend is going away to USA to study, leaving her mum who she will want to phone everyday, in a cost effective way.

So I am asking here for advise on the best way for the daughter (in the US) to keep daily contact with the mum (in UK) via telephone.

---

the daughter has a smartphone (which has whats app/ viber etc on
which is on contract.


the mum has a basic old nokia phone, which isn't a smartphone,
and the mum and hasn't really had a smartphone ever.

The mum has never really used a smart phone, never used whatsap or viber,
but can be taught to her in these few weeks.


Edit added: The mums property has wifi

---

Does this below solution seem a good all round solution, for them to keep in touch daily, from a cost effective way?

Buy the mum a basic smartphone (lets say samsung), Samsung Galaxy Ace for example, from ebay, with these specs:
- on Pay as you go,
- Insert a sim card in it,
- she can download Whats app, and viber

and the mum and daughter can communicate on viber and whats app/ free calls between each other.

it would be a basic smart phone, as the mum would like to start basic, and would have to be taught the basics, but it will mainly be used for calling.

Say from searches like these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_sop=15&LH_ItemCondition=1000&LH_BIN=1&_nkw=samsung+smartphone+unlocked&LH_PrefLoc=1&_ipg=200&rt=nc

they do not want to get a new contract smartphone for the mum, but just a basic smartphone, unlocked too.


The mother also doesn't have a notepad, and has no laptop/computer, so phone will be the only way to communicate.


They do NOT want to use their current phone contract (o2, ee or which ever they are on) to call internationally direct (on daughters smartphone contract) and mum doesn't want to use her BT landline to call the states



Can any UK sim do, to be used for this type of smartphone? (unlocked Samsung Galaxy from ebay) - £50- £70
which have the number on the outside of the sim package?
(which you can buy from a mobile phone shop for £1)


or in the USA the daughter buy a local phone there, to top up from there, and call the uk? (would that turn out to be more expensive?)

- anybody been to the USA and called the UK often ??

Frozen_up_north

Long question (did it need to be so long winded?)

Simple answer...

Mum not having a computer indicates she also won't have broadband... Using a pay as you go phone for data (Skype, Viber, iMessage, FaceTime, etc) isn't viable, the data charges will run her out of credit very quickly.

That leaves a couple of options:
Daughter can phone mum's land line via Skype (or similar) using local WiFi or her mobile data allowance, and her smart phone. Cost around 2p per min for the caller.

Mum can get broadband, use own WiFi to connect new smartphone/laptop/iPad and chat to daughter for "free" using Skype to Skype, or similar program/app.

Mum could get a smartphone and a contract SIM with a lot of data, to use Skype, etc. However home broadband is likely to be better value and more consistent (mobile phone data rates vary quite a lot depending on location and time of day).

katesheet

Thanks

Edit added above: The mums property has wifi

Owain_Moneysaver

Daughter can get a VoIP account with Sipgate or similar which comes with a UK landline number for incoming calls. Then use a softphone on a PC or a VoIP app to call mum's landline. Cost will be 1.2p/minute.

Mum can phone daughter using the landline number provided with the VoIP account and use any included calls allowance she has. Any calls not answered by daughter will go to voicemail and daughter will get the wav file emailed to her.

Daughter can also use the VoIP UK number to contact other UK friends, use for job applications etc.

cbrown372

If Mum has facebook on her phone they can also speak via Messenger on FB using wifi.

Frozen_up_north

Mum can phone USA mobiles via 1899 for 1p per min, I used them years ago, still looks worth a try. Once registered, you prefix the call with 1899 followed by the number you want.

http://www.1899.com/

Ian011

There are several dial-through providers offering calls to USA via 03, 0845 and 0870 numbers. If the UK landline has inclusive calls to these numbers, calls can be effectively made to the USA at no charge.

ballyblack

as above. I use RINGO . You dial a 03 number, this is part of my inclusive minutes on my mobile. As a result the call is free.

No need for wifi, just at first to set up the app


Need a smart phone and download the app from the google playstore or apple istore

'ringo international dialing'


https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.ringo

ballyblack

Mum can phone USA mobiles via 1899 for 1p per min,

be aware 1899 also charges a 4p connection charge!

kingrulzuk

I think this will be a cheaper option for both of them without buying a new phone: https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/international/calling-international-numbers?country=USA

davidsuffolk

If the person in the US gets a UK Skype IN number the person in the UK can ring that as an ordinary UK number (so free with a lot of packages) and it will ring on the US person's pc or mobile just like any other call.
If it is the other way around the US person can use Skype to call the UK number though clearly would be easier if both parties had Skype.
My Chinese wife has a Hong Kong number so her friends can call that (calls are free in HK) and it rings here in the UK. Great until a wrong number or one forgets that HK is 7 hours ahead of here!