MoneySavingExpert.com International Calls Checker

batbay

Have just got my BT bill so have been able to check the actual cost of calls made using "Ratebuster" and "Telesavers".
The figures are below, please note that the two calls that differ greatly from the rate stated by the company concerned are both short, so may be affected by connection charges (although these are not mentioned when the call is dialled).
The last example however, is so good that my relatives in Australia are accused of lying when they tell how little we pay
"Ratebuster" to Australia, stated as 1p/min,actual 7p/min
"Telesavers" to Philippines, stated as 10p/min,actual 16p/min
"Telesavers" to Australia, stated as 1p/min,actual 1.1p/min ;D ;D ;D ;D
Excellent!

maveli

Hi,
I am not sure whether somebody already posted this one. Here is how to make some international call for 5P/hour during evening and weekend. you need a BT line and BT's 5p/hr to ireland package to do this. I think all BT line got this.

Look at https://www.telestunt.ie and if the access# starts with a '0' you can call this number from UK by adding 00353 in front and droping the '0'. since BT only charge 5p/hr you can talk for an hour for 5p

for eg. if you want to call Canada dial
00353818 270 101 and dial your required no.

Pls note the 5p/hr option is only during weekends and evenings.

Maveli

sergeant121

Hi,
 I am not sure whether somebody already posted this one. Here is how to make some international call for 5P/hour during evening and weekend. you need a BT line and BT's 5p/hr to ireland package to do this. I think all BT line got this.

Look at https://www.telestunt.ie and if the access# starts with a '0' you can call this number from UK by adding 00353 in front and droping the '0'. since BT only charge 5p/hr you can talk for an hour for 5p

for eg. if you want to call Canada dial
00353818 270 101 and dial your required no.

Pls note the 5p/hr option is only during weekends and evenings.

Maveli

Sorry, that's completely wrong.

A mainland UK caller using BT does, indeed, only pay BT 5½p for an evening or weekend call of up to an hour - but that is ONLY to UK STD codes starting 01 or 02 (weekdays, such calls cost 3p per minute).

Dialling 00 as the first 2 digits tells the BT system to charge the caller at international rates (BT's international rates to 00353 - Eire - are 9p/minute evenings and weekends and 14p/minute weekdays).

EDIT 26/11/04 - I've added the word 'mainland' to my first paragraph above because I have no personal knowledge of the Northern Ireland/Eire matter maveli has now raised (see below).

maveli

May be I should move this to N.ireland Board. I thought BT got the same option(5p/hr to Ireland) throughout UK. I am located in N.Ireland and using the above trick make international calls and my bill never shows anything above 6p for an hour.

SteveR

Hi,
Thanks for the call checker Martin. It prompted me to sort my phone bills out!!
I enrolled with 18866 & 1899 and bought an Orchid V4 dialler then set about programming it like this:
18866 for uk calls at any time just 1p/min + 1p.
1899 for calls to France which is the only other country wer tend to call 1p/min + 3p.
BT for 0845 & 0870 calls anytime
18866 for 0870 personal numbers often used for Hospital Patientline calls cost 9p/min + 1p rather than the outrageus 50p/min
As far as I can see Telediscount is just cheaper for mobile calls at 10p.
I barred directory enquiries as they are free on the net and we have permanently on Broadband.
Has anybody else done this excercise and what results did you get?
Regards,

Steve

sergeant121

I enrolled with 18866 & 1899 and bought an Orchid V4 dialler then set about programming it like this:
18866 for uk calls at any time just 1p/min + 1p.
As far as I can see Telediscount is just cheaper for mobile calls at 10p.

Assuming you have a BT landline, 18866 is even cheaper than that for UK 01 and 02 calls - a flat rate 1p for the connection (there is no additional 'per minute' charge).

If that 10p/minute Telediscount rate is 'at all times', 1899 is cheaper for mobile calls - 10p/minute during the week but 2p/minute at weekends.

SteveR

Assuming you have a BT landline, 18866 is even cheaper than that for UK 01 and 02 calls


Hi Heinz,
Thanks for that, just a senior moment I meant to type 0p.
Didn't look hard enough at 1899 yes it is weekend calls at 2p and 10p weekdays, not sure about evenings probably 10p also + the 3p connection, so makes the V4 rules easier. (Haven't figured using it with the 0845 number yet). But if 1899 evenings to UK mobiles is 10p then Telediscount would be cheaper at 1p + 1p /min = 2p/min so 3p connection cheaper weekends but probably much cheaper evenings.
Regards,
Steve

kah22

why didn't somebody tell me this site exsisted before. Think of all the money I've lost!

I phone an individual in Spain almost every night, and sometimes during the day. I thought I had a go deal with BT when I added it onto my list of personal numbers - 5p a min 24/7 Now I see I can get it at 1p a min.

Two questions though:
If using the same number over and over again can you tag the access code onto the persons name and just press the speed dial, or do you have to dial it seperately and wait for instructions.

I've just finished reading the article on how to get a better deal from your mobile company. If I were to ring BT and say company x are letting me call Spain for 1p a minute will they price match, especially if all my other callls go through their network

At last I can get my own back

kah22

True!

Kevin

kah22

I'm beginning to like this site :P very much indeed.

In my previous I posed the question about phoning a friend who is living in Spain for the immediate future. (calls now down to 1p min via 1899)

She calls me frequently from her her hotel phone, or sometimes from a coin box. I'm thinking of buying a few telephone cards and sending them out to her. (I'm looking at Millennium Phone card which would charge 2.1cents per min). Anyone know if this is the best deal going?

I have another question. For some strange reason I can't phone a Spanish public phone from her - probally because of the 'u' at the end of it. Anybody know a way around this.

Kevin.

as a by the way what does the little logo with the words 'ip logged' down at the bottom right mean ???