Cheapest way to call between Ireland and UK?

steveandel

I might be commuting weekly to Ireland for an 8 week period starting in a few weeks. What would be the cheapest way for me and my wife to stay in touch whilst I am over in Ireland?
We both have O2 pay monthly contracts and at home we have a BT landline. I'm not sure whether I'll have access to a landline other than a hotel phone in Ireland or not, I guess there might be a payphone somewhere. Bearing these facts in mind what would be the cheapest way for us to stay in contact - either me calling her from my mobile or a payphone or her calling me on my mobile?
Would it be worth getting a mobile SIM for an Irish network to make it cheaper for me to call local access international numbers?
Thanks!

bringmeshoes

o2 have an ireland bolt on which is free tghat reduces the cost of calls to ireland. they also have a service called my europe extra it costs £10 (its only 1 mth minimum term so would be easier to remove when you are back) it gives you reduced cost calls when you are away and where you would save the most money is that the cost of recieving calls would be free. (not sure if you know that you pay to recieve calls when abroad as the caller onloy pays their standard rate to call you) If you got an irish sim it would cost your wife more to call that but if she calls your mobile it won't cost her anymore to call you.
also so you know if you text your wife it will use 4 sms form your bundle
may bve worth a call to customer service to get all the options

redux

O2 UK has Ireland bolt-ons for both Pay& Go and contract, and perhaps the former is better with free incoming calls

http://www.o2international.co.uk/callingfromoverseas/Irelandbolton.aspx

You might get a Pay & Go SIM, enrol for the Ireland bolt-on, and she can ring you. If you want to start a call, just ring and hang up and she calls you back.

GoodFun

If you sign up to 3 then while you are in Ireland you can received and make calls as though you are in UK so no extra costs.

splishsplash

Most hotels have free broadband (wifi) access - could you use skype or something similar?