Anyone using a cheap international phone service?

anotherquestion

Hi folks,

My broadband and landline is with Talktalk, I'm happy enough with my new current contract and getting free anytime calls to uk landlines and mobiles for 18 months.
I don't make many international calls which are usually to Republic of Ireland and a few to USA, but have a free promotion with Talktalk which is due to end in early July.

The boost that they offer for this, is currently £12 a month (usually they will do it for less than this, maybe even half price)  What I am wondering is, do any of you use a third party service that would be good value to the above countries say 1p or so a minute to landlines? I understand usually you buy credit and have a prefix code to dial before dialling the number you want.  I would hope this service would work with Talktalk landlines.

Any other option available to me, can't make calls direct form computer for privacy and noise reasons would need to make it through a phone, or else a cheap Cordless handset that could make calls over intenret.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Neil_Jones

IIRC TalkTalk blocks these. or if they do they'll charge you extra, so if you did it often enough and for long enough the £12 would be the better option.

I know you don't really want them, but do consider other options like WhatsApp, Skype, Facebook, Facetime etc.  Can be free, country destination immaterial.  "noise", you get used to after a while (software can try to filter it out but depends on how you set your environment up in the first place).  Privacy, most providers are encrypted end to end and its almost certainly more secure.

zagfles

You could use a VOIP service, eg sipgate, and use it using a softphone app on your mobile eg zoiper, then it's pretty much like making a call on your mobile except you use the app. Or you can get a VOIP hard phone, or an adapter which you plug a normal landline phone into. I've been using sipgate basic for a while and it's pretty good, setting up the softphones is a bit fiddly especially if you want it for incoming calls as well.

anotherquestion

Thanks a lot for replies, yes I would like the idea of calling landlines with my mobile, just got a new one a moto g9 power, would be great if I could find the right app that would let me call International landlines and mobiles. As I don't call international a great deal, mainly USA a few times a year, and republic of Ireland more often. Just have a pay as you go mobile with EE, Yes an app would be fine to use such as Whats app, but still want the option of using the app to call international landlines.

JJ_Egan

I use Whattsapp calling or video calling  UK to ROI all over wifi .

anotherquestion

JJ_Egan said:

I use Whattsapp calling or video calling  UK to ROI all over wifi .

Thanks but I take it you don't call landlines that way, just with someone who has the app installed?

JJ_Egan

Yes not landlines as those i call have mobiles .

anotherquestion

Ah thanks for that, ok I got Whats app installed, works well, but still need an app to make international calls to landlines or mobiles for people who dont have the app installed.

 Ok for anyone else reading, I was looking at this one called Talk360 seems promising, just wondering if anyone else uses it or could recommend a different app even?

Many thanks for any help with this, might put a post in Tech forum as well.

J_B

We have an account with https://www.localphone.com/

Basically, you dial a local number and they divert it to the number of your choice

531063

Have a look at Viber out

Chino

anotherquestion said:

What I am wondering is, do any of you use a third party service that would be good value to the above countries say 1p or so a minute to landlines?

Have you looked at 18185?
https://www.18185.co.uk/rates

They take payment by direct debit in arrears. So you don't need to fund your account first.

They're nowhere near as cheap as they used to be but still a lot cheaper than most providers if you don't have a calls package.