"Free Calls" Who Is Paying?

mobileron

You cant make any free calls apart to people who are currently connected to Alexia,as stated same as Skype but other person needs to be on the same network.

Same as Facetime on an iphone only free to other iphones.

Nick_C

Once you verify your phone number and sync your contacts with the Alexa app you can:

Make and receive calls between supported Echo devices or the Alexa app.

Make and receive video calls between any Echo device with a screen, or the Alexa app.

Make outbound calls to all UK, US, Canada and Mexico mobile and residential numbers (emergency services such as 999 or 112, premium and business rate numbers are not supported) at no additional cost. Currently available from the UK only.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/12728352031#com

Amazon are suggesting you can make a free call to a landline! This is very different to Skype or WhatsApp.

So Amazon must be paying for the final bit of the connection?

DavyJones61

You cant make any free calls apart to people who are currently connected to Alexia,as stated same as Skype but other person needs to be on the same network.

I can make free calls to a landline phone and a mobile phone from my mobile over my home wifi using the Alexa app on my mobile and the recipient does not have Skype or Alexa.

If I am not in range of my wifi Alexa will not make the call.

SnowTiger

Nick_C wrote: »

https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/12728352031#com

Amazon are suggesting you can make a free call to a landline! This is very different to Skype or WhatsApp.

So Amazon must be paying for the final bit of the connection?

It's been possible to make free calls to ordinary landline and mobile numbers via Google Home and Amazon Alexa devices for some time now.

On Android, if I select a contact from within the Alexa app and try to call it I'm diverted to my phone's standard dialling app and the call is placed as a normal phone call.

If, however, I say 'Call SnowTiger's mobile' the call is made free via Alexa.

I guess the wholesale price for phone calls is so low that it costs these big tech companies virtually nothing to offer free calls.

verybigchris

The people on the call are paying for it, just not with cash. Your personal data is worth more to Amazon/Google than the wholesale cost of phone call.

mobileron

Just been checking with Sky on this, free calls BUT 2p a minute connection charge,unless you are on free call package with them.

Someone has to pay for the terminated call,ie known as the final leg in telecoms.

It took me 15 mins with sky to get this answer,we no longer get itemised
bills,so cant check ourselves.

Nick_C

mobileron wrote: »

Just been checking with Sky on this, free calls BUT 2p a minute connection charge,unless you are on free call package with them.

Someone has to pay for the terminated call,ie known as the final leg in telecoms.

It took me 15 mins with sky to get this answer,we no longer get itemised
bills,so cant check ourselves.

Free calls to who? Using what service? No idea what you are trying to tell us!

mrochester

This will be a perk of the product to get you locked in so that they can monetise you and your data in other ways.

RumRat

I don't care who's paying as long as it's not me....They can have the data involved, not bothered.....:D

mrochester

RumRat wrote: »

I don't care who's paying as long as it's not me....They can have the data involved, not bothered.....:D

Short term thinking that further cements our servitude to the tech overlords :P.