Calling a landline abroad from a UK mobile 26 January 2021 at 1:41PM edited 27 January 2021 at 9:03AM in Phones & TV 9 replies 133 views

crabbyHermit

Hi, does anyone know the cheapest way to call a landline in Australia from a UK mobile?  For the past 10 years l’ve used a basic Nokia dumbphone with a Lycamobile SIM and topped up with PAYG vouchers from Tesco.  Calls cost 1p per minute, and vouchers lasted as long as it took to use up the minutes.  Then, a couple of months ago, without warning Lycamobile tripled the cost of the call, although it was still possible to buy the vouchers at the supermarket checkout.  Now they’ve been discontinued, also without warning, and a credit card has been introduced.  I really don’t want to go down that path, especially as Lycamobile have been so underhand in dealing with customers, so l’m looking for an alternative means of staying in touch with an elderly relative in Australia without paying too much to do so.  I don’t have a landline.

Browntoa

VoIP landline number via sipgate ( 2p a minute) or other VoIP providers.

jon81uk

You can top up on Lycamobiles website Online Mobile Top Up Checkout - Lycamobile

Alse it appears if you send a text to opt-in you can still get the 1p a minute calls to Austrailia
"Customers should opt-in by texting SAVE to 2525 in order to be eligible for the Saver International Rates, customers who do not opt-in will be charged as per the standard National and International Rates. Opt-in SAVE promotional tariff is valid from 01-05-2018. Promotional tariff valid for 30 days only from the opt-in. Lycamobile reserves the right to amend or vary the terms of this promotion, or to withdraw this offer at any time on reasonable notice."
Our best national & International call rates | Lycamobile UK

A_Lert

Lebara have an emphasis on international calls. They have plans with included minutes to a bunch of countries including Australia. (They're also cheap for UK-only light data users, I'm on their cheapest plan which is £5 a month).

They use Vodafone's network, so check you have good Vodafone signal where you live.

DCFC79

Video calls over Google Duo/Meet or Zoom any good ?

A bit limited on a mobile though, especially if you want to view a group of people so on a tablet or laptop/ pc with a webcam could be more ideal.

pogofish

What has this got to do with COVID or kindness?

MalMonroe

You can use Skype for free and you can use it either with or without video.

You can also use Whatsapp for free. 

I lived in Oz and we did this and we have relatives there and use both now we are back in the UK.

We also use both to contact friends in Thailand from the UK.

All free.

MalMonroe

pogofish said:

What has this got to do with COVID or kindness?

Isn't it supposed to be 'random acts of kindness and all things positive'? Can't we just be kind and positive? I think it makes for a better forum and that's what it's all about, isn't it? Helping others, if we can.

J_B

pogofish said:

What has this got to do with COVID or kindness?

This is the Phones & TV section - nobody mentioned Covid or Kindness, apart from you so I'm a little confused.com by your comment. 🤔

jon81uk

J_B said:

pogofish said:

What has this got to do with COVID or kindness?

This is the Phones & TV section - nobody mentioned Covid or Kindness, apart from you so I'm a little confused.com by your comment. 🤔

The post was originally in the wrong part of the forum but has since been moved.