Signing up for call1899/18866/18185

Blue_Max

had another look at icardmobile.co.uk
It says, "Rates are valid until 30th April 2011" Did not find anything about the current rates being "promotional rates" or any new rates after that.
May be they are reserving the right to make changes if found necessary.
Free PAYG SIM and 1p per minute to mobile or landline to India to is the cheapest mobile phone rate I know.
So well worth keeping an eye at their website, IMO.

I have used these 1899/18866/18185 type of services in the past and have been fooled by connection charges, charges made by your landline service provider, etc that they do not tell you about.
They are well past their sell-by-date.

Look elsewhere for really cheap rates.
About time MSE revised their 'International Call Checker' search engine and advice.

Heinz

Blue_Max wrote: »

I have used these 1899/18866/18185 type of services in the past and have been fooled by connection charges, charges made by your landline service provider, etc that they do not tell you about.
They are well past their sell-by-date.

I really find it difficult to comprehend how you can have been 'fooled' by their connection charges.

They are quite transparent. 5p for a UK calls, 4p for international calls.

Your line provider cannot charge you for using them. BT has to allow free use of the prefixes and there are freephone gateway numbers to use from non-BT landlines.

There are separate lists of the per-minute charges for each destination (e.g. HERE are 18185's prices via the 18185 prefix and HERE are their prices via their freephone gateway number).

Blue_Max

Don't be fooled by the ads and pubilcity tactics of 1899/18866/18185 and their agents.
They make connection charges. Speaking from memory connection charges are made even if the calls do not go through.
Based on this fact alone, they are not worthy of further consideration.

There are many other services where you pay only when connected.
Call charges are a fraction of what 1899/18866/18185 charge.
1.0p to India with www.rynga.com compared to 3p+connection with 18866
Plus you get free calls to UK landlines and 55 or so other destinations.
If you don't want free calls, pay only 0.5p with www.fastvoip.com
Or open accounts with both.

With many VoIP based services, savings are much greater.
A SIP type VoIP phone can be bought for as little as £20.
Many are listed here:
www.rynga.com/en/hardware.html
We use a Siemens S685IP. A DECT phone capable of landline and VoIP. A quality product and an absolute joy to use.

But you don't even need that! Some of the services have a call back service either to you land line or mobile. eg. www.poketalk.com
With www.localphone.com you can call from your landline, mobile, VoIP phone or computer.

Chek out other threads and MSE and other forums for more info.

We used to use 18866 and 18185 couple of years back. Since switching to better alternatives, we save 85% on telephone bills plus we make hundreds of free calls, from UK and to UK

Its a nil brainer!
:cool:

Ypaymore

18185/1899/18866 dont have any agents.

18185 just 5p connection to a UK 01/02/03 takes some beating.

They normally only charge a connection fee if you are connected.

You dont get free calls with Rynga you have to buy credit to get them so how can they be free.

Rynga and FastVoip are all part of the same group of companies as 18185 anyway.:D

Blue_Max

Ypaymore wrote: »

18185 just 5p connection to a UK 01/02/03 takes some beating

5p connection fee "takes some beating" compared to NO connection fee or any other charges? :exclamati :doh:
Why Pay More?!

Ypaymore wrote: »

Rynga and FastVoip are all part of the same group of companies as 18185 anyway.:D

Whats that got with paying high charges to 18185 :huh:

Ypaymore wrote: »

You dont get free calls with Rynga you have to buy credit to get them so how can they be free.

Like I said earlier in the thread, the credit you buy is for making calls to some countries abroad. For as little as 0.5p per minute; compared to 3p and more connection fees plus much much higher per minute charges with the likes of 18866.

Calls to UK, many European, American and Asian countries are free.
You can also make free calls from abroad to UK and other free countries listed.
Now that takes some beating
As I said, Its a nil brainer!

Go to the webistes that I quoted and simalar ones and find out the facts.
As it is 'Upaymore'

Ypaymore

I dont call overseas or make calls from overseas .I mainly use 18185 to call UK Geographical Numbers it costs me just 5p connection from my landline via indirect access and i can speak as long as i like . I dont have to top up regularly to make these calls . It suits me and many other people.:D

bubieyehyeh

I still prefer 18185, since you pay in arrears. Most of these SIP operator you have to buy some credit, before you can find out if they are any good. You also have to install some software on your pc which you have no idea what it could be doing. Then they only give you free calls for about 120 days, after which you have to pay for the UK calls out of your credit, or buy more credit. For these reasons I prefer 18185 and its cheaper for my usage pattern.

scooby32

Ive been with 18185 for a few years only used for calls abroad, and get small bills just over a pound a few times a year.

A couple of questions.

How do I change to direct debit, its taken from my credit card and Id like to change that.

Ive only used it for landlines but I have registered my mobile. Would I just use the 0208 number first. Im on O2 so how would this charge me and could I use it for international and 0845 numbers

Thanks

Heinz

1. Just log onto your account and click on Your payment details on the left and then on Change payment details (Direct Debit). They'll probably invoice you immediately to check your new payment details.

2. From a mobile you would use whichever of the 020 or 080 gateway numbers is cheapest on your tariff (I use the 080 number because freephone calls are free on my Giffgaff PAYG mobile but those with 'free' minutes would use the 020 number).

Yes, you can use it for international* and 0845 calls (check the rates HERE - they're different to using the 18185 prefix from your BT landline). As with the 18185 prefix, a 4p connection charge applies to international calls and a 5p charge to UK calls.

* In fact I've used the 0808 1 703 703 number to call a Spanish landline from my Giffgaff mobile and paid nothing for the Giffgaff part of the call and 4p connection + 1p/minute for the Spanish part.

scooby32

Heinz Thank you very much for the info, you have helped me before on this forum and your vast knowledge is second to none