Cheapest/easiest way to receive mobile calls abroad in non-roaming country?

Sportacus

I'm going to Argentina for a week at the end of this month, and it's imperative that I can receive phone calls to my usual mobile number.

I'm locked into a contract with Tesco mobile and Argentina is not one of their roaming countries, so we're talking about £1.50 a minute to receive calls.

I expect to have wifi most of the time when I'm there, so will the iphone 'wifi calling' feature work there? I have patchy mobile reception in my own house, so often I see it is using 'wifi calling' when I'm at home. Will this work overseas when I'm on wifi?

Are there any services to redirect a call to mobile number to skype? I'll also need to make calls, so was planning to get a skype package for that.

DullGreyGuy

Sportacus said:

Are there any services to redirect a call to mobile number to skype? I'll also need to make calls, so was planning to get a skype package for that.

Does Skype still exist in that form? Only kept in touch with the business side after Microsoft bought it and that went on to become Teams. Bit of an aside, there are plenty of VOIP options. 

A quick google shows that whilst O2 does support call forwarding Tesco Mobile explicitly doesn't support it and so that idea, which would have been my suggestion, doesn't work. 

Tescos also dont support Wifi calling outside of the UK so not an option either.

Personally... put a voicemail on saying you will call people back, hopefully you have visual voicemail, call said person back using Skype/VOIP.  With our VOIP provider you can set the caller ID to be the same as any phone number you own elsewhere so I can call using VOIP but the receiver of my call will see it as if I was calling from my mobile.

Sportacus

Thanks, checking tescomobile website and I see I'll have to pay international rates to access my voicemail from abroad.

Only option seems to be turn off voicemail, not answer any calls but note the number calling, and phone back the number with skype.

Also, ditch tescomobile when my contract expires.

sully1311

I believe the only MNO that allows you to receive calls for free is Vodafone. I'm not sure about MVNOs.

NoodleDoodleMan

A passing thought - does WhatsApp operate internationally without charges ?

bagand96

I believe even with WiFi calling the call is treated as a network call. So at home will come out of your minutes, and abroad will be treated as a normal call. 

This isn't the case if you use a third party app like Skype, Facetime or WhatsApp. 

NoodleDoodleMan said:

A passing thought - does WhatsApp operate internationally without charges ?

Yes WhatsApp messages, calls and video calls will work free of charge as long as the OP connects to WiFi and not mobile data. 

hugheskevi

 Yes WhatsApp messages, calls and video calls will work free of charge as long as the OP connects to WiFi and not mobile data. 

I'm in Argentina now, and the mobile provider Claro offers a tourist physical SIM with 25 GIG of data for 6,000 pesos (about £6.50, based on blue dollar exchange rate). It is very easy to obtain, and then Whatsapp will work all the time - even though the SIM providing the data is Argentian, Whatsapp still uses your UK number as that is registered to the account so it all just works like at home.

Although if you do not have a physical dual-SIM phone, then that wouldn't be practical if the plan is to receive but not answer UK calls then return calls.

I've used both Skype and Whatsapp for calls, both have worked well, in general I'd say Whatsapp is a bit more convenient and is free 

eDicky

hugheskevi said:

 Yes WhatsApp messages, calls and video calls will work free of charge as long as the OP connects to WiFi and not mobile data. 

.

I've used both Skype and Whatsapp for calls, both have worked well, in general I'd say Whatsapp is a bit more convenient and is free 

WhatsApp to WhatsApp messages and calls are always free globally (apart from any mobile data or WiFi usage charges), but it's news to me if you can make free WhatsApp calls directly to a phone number. And are Skype to Skype calls not free..?

eDicky

DullGreyGuy said:

Sportacus said:

Are there any services to redirect a call to mobile number to skype? I'll also need to make calls, so was planning to get a skype package for that.

With our VOIP provider you can set the caller ID to be the same as any phone number you own elsewhere so I can call using VOIP but the receiver of my call will see it as if I was calling from my mobile.

This is useful, allowing the recipient of the call to see who is calling. I use the messaging app Viber in this way, which displays to the called party the phone number associated with the Viber account

hugheskevi

eDicky said:

hugheskevi said:

 Yes WhatsApp messages, calls and video calls will work free of charge as long as the OP connects to WiFi and not mobile data. 

.

I've used both Skype and Whatsapp for calls, both have worked well, in general I'd say Whatsapp is a bit more convenient and is free 

WhatsApp to WhatsApp messages and calls are always free globally (apart from any mobile data or WiFi usage charges), but it's news to me if you can make free WhatsApp calls directly to a phone number. And are Skype to Skype calls not free..?

Yes, I should have been clearer - I meant Whatsapp to Whatsapp calls. 

I find most people I want to call use Whatsapp but very few use Skype, so in practice using Whatsapp usually results in free calls whereas using Skype means paying for a package to be able to call people.

silvercar

WhatsApp calling is good and charges to data, so a data only eSIM would work. Downside of using your phone with data only is if you need to make calls to people without WhatsApp eg phoning a local takeaway order.