Buzzcard -- Anyone used it

alared

Opinions and comments please.
I`ve checked their site and it seems the ideal way to phone home from abroad or to phone abroad,certainly the cheapest I`ve come across.
All calls have a connection charge of 2p but only if you actually get through to who you`re dialing.
I believe it can also be used in UK for calls to another UK number.


INSERT FROM MARTIN

As one of the owners of Buzzcard is now on the site (called Radioactive Frog), I've allowed him to answer questions in this thread even though normally it'd break the 'spamming rules'. It seems a good way to get the info across, though the permission is limited only to this thread.

martin

andy88_2

It looks interesting. Pity it didn't come out a few weeks earlier, and I might've tried it abroad.

One of the problems in using calling cards is that of how does the network or callbox operator gain the revenue they want. In USA for example there is a levy paid by the calling card firm to the callbox firm, defined by the FCC. Similar happens over here in Europe; some calling cards pay and surcharge the customer with higher rates from callboxes or mobiles; some do not pay, and consequently some of the latter (recognised ones) are blocked.

Note that ordinary landlines are much less prone to this action, particularly national operators; I'm thinking more of those mobile companies that have free calls to freephone numbers - in this country only Orange contract phones, but some payg abroad.

Buzzcard has no such surcharges, and it would be interesting to find out if its freephone access numbers come from groups widely known to other companies or not.

Sorry if I'm over-pedantic; this should give some general ideas that apply to any calling card, but apologies that I don't yet know the answers about this one, which may or may not be relevant to your intended use.

thefirs

I've had a browse of the Buzzcard site, but can find no mention of a shelf life for their cards. Are they everlasting?

monomer

andy88 wrote:

Buzzcard has no such surcharges, and it would be interesting to find out if its freephone access numbers come from groups widely known to other companies or not.

Not sure if this was recently added or not but there's a footnote on the buzzcard page:

*Calls from mobile or payphones may incur a surcharge from the service provider.

http://www.buzzcard.co.uk/howitworks.php

It says 'may', which isn't particularly specific!


Sorry it's late at night and I didn't read the post properly, you're right - buzzcard itself doesn't add a surcharge to its own advertised rate. It just warns that there might be a surcharge from the network you're using to access the calling card.

pricefighter

I have tried the 0800 UK access number from an Orange contract phone and its not barred/chargeable.

It also has a 0207 access number for other mobile users, so it has potential for cheap intl calls from UK mobiles

alared

The site says the card has a "shelf life" of two years, or more if required.
A virtual card is sent by email,a plastic one through the post with a "small charge".


From the site
"The rates are cheaper, the quality clearer and there are no setup or daily maintenance fees.*

Unlike many calling card operators who charge to the nearest minute, your BuzzCard™ charges are calculated to the nearest second so you only pay for what you use. Some cards charge you for using their card outside of their country – your BuzzCard™ doesn’t. We pay any connection surcharge, giving you more time to talk. The rates are the same no matter which country you're calling from.

There’s no need to throw the card away and buy another one because you can top up your card online at https://www.buzzcard.co.uk, saving a trek to the shops in the rain and helping the environment too. Every card lasts for two years or longer at your request. So, if you just want one for your annual holiday, BuzzCard™ will fit conveniently in your purse or wallet ready to use anytime of the year.

Designed to offer a convenient service, whenever you need some more credit logon to https://www.buzzcard.co.uk and click on “Top Up a Card”. There’s no need to order another card again!

If you’re in a hurry you can buy a virtual card. Delivered by email, a virtual card saves postage, helps the environment and gets you what you want quickly.

BuzzCard™ costs less so you feel great. A call to a destination is the same no matter which country you call from and there’s no connection surcharge either.* Charges are calculated to the nearest second so you only pay for the time you actually use. And you connect using a freephone number that landline service providers won’t charge you for."

monomer

One of the things that confuses me is the footnote at the bottom of the rates page:

Rates exclude VAT. Card prices include VAT

I presume this means that VAT is charged on the card because it's bought in the UK. I'd also assume that rates gets VAT put on them when I'm in the UK. Would it be reasonable to assume that VAT won't be charged when used outside the UK?

coolsteel

Would be nice to know exactly what you will be paying per minute instead of quoting without VAT, then again the price wouldn't look so attractive would it.
Correct me if im wrong so it you dial the uk from abroad its 0.60 off peak a minute and 1.39p peak a minute, then add on 17.5% vat and a possible surcharge from the service provider. Would this be correct?

Coolsteel :cool:

alared

It is a bit confusing,maybe Radioactivefrog would like to add his 2p worth on this thread.

The way it reads to me is you dial the freephone access number from whichever country you are in,it then tells you to put in your PIN and dial the number you require.
IF you get connected there is an automatic 2p connection charge then you are charged at the going rate DEPENDING ON TIME OF DAY.
Of course the rates they quote without VAT makes it look cheaper but if you x by 17.5% this gives you the real rate.
When dialing from abroad how they decide what rate you`re on I dont know.
Is it the time of day where you are or GMT.
RADIO can we have some answers?

coolsteel

Its GMT i think

Woody

Notice that if you select to buy a "Classic" £5 Buzzcard, in very tiny letters it says:

"Classic buzzcards are subject to a one off small postage & packing fee."

You then have to give them all your details, before you get to the real costs page, and discover that a £5 card actually costs £6.20.

Now there's more to consider....

If you need to use one of these cards, you are quite likely to be in another country with your mobile phone. Let's take as an example that you are in Italy, with a Vodafone mobile phone, and you want to phone a landline in the UK.

According to the Vodafone site, calling a number in the UK OR in Italy, will cost you 75p (plus VAT!) a minute. Vodafone don't do free calls to Italian 800 freephone numbers - calling a freephone number is still 75p a minute - so as far as I can work out, it will actually cost you more to phone home with Buzzcard, than just plainly dialing the number.

The only way Buzzcard can help you get cheaper calls (or any of the local freephone carriers) is if you call from a landline.