Cheap international calls - any suggestions?

[sueflauto]

Just to say that I've never had a problem with the sound quality with Skype - rather better quality than the phone in some cases, and they have upgraded the software recently. As pointed out free if the other person has Skype, 1c a minute if you use SkypeOut to phone a normal phone number. I've also got SkypeIn, which is a uk London number (I believe other countries have it) which people can use to call you at the appropriate local UK rate (which on certain packages could be very cheap).

All in all I'd certainly recommend everybody to investigate - for the cost of a headset it must be worthwhile.

[libero]

Originally Posted by sueflauto

Just to say that I've never had a problem with the sound quality with Skype - rather better quality than the phone in some cases, and they have upgraded the software recently. As pointed out free if the other person has Skype, 1c a minute if you use SkypeOut to phone a normal phone number. I've also got SkypeIn, which is a uk London number (I believe other countries have it) which people can use to call you at the appropriate local UK rate (which on certain packages could be very cheap).

All in all I'd certainly recommend everybody to investigate - for the cost of a headset it must be worthwhile.

You can also get Skype ready phone or like myself a Uconnect which alows you to connect any phone to your computer, you just type "**" before the number to routes the call through skype.

[dolfinone]

3P PER MINUTE 0844 430 0307 TIRANA / ANDORRA / AUSTRIA / BELGIUM / BRUNEI DARUSSALAM / BULGARIA / CHINA INCLU MOBILE / CROATIA / CYPRUS / CZECH REPUBLIC PRAGUE / DENMARK / ESTONIA / FINLAND / FRANCE / TBILLSI / GERMANY / GREECE / HUNGARY / HONG KONGINCLU MOBILE / ICELAND / JAKARTA / SURABAYA / BAGHDAD / IRELAND/ SAN MARINO / JEDDAH / RIYADH / SINGAPORE INCL MOBILE / SLOVAKIA / BRATISLAVE / SLOVENIA / SOUTH KOREA / SPAIN / CANARY ISLANDS / SWEDEN / SWITZERLAND / TAIWAN / TAJIKISTAN INCL MOBILE / THAILAND INCL MOBILE / TURKEY / VATICAN CITY / ROMANIA / RUSSIA / PORTUGAL / POLAND / NORWAY / OSLO / NETHERLANDS /ADAM RDAM / MONACO / MALAYSIA INCLU MOBILE / LUXEMBURG / LITHUNIA / LATVIA / RIGA / SOUTH KOREA / ALMATY / KARAGANDA / JORDAN / JAPAN / ITALY

No hidden costs, no connection fix,
no need for phone card.
24hour fixed rate

Dial the code
.Wait for the dial tone .
.Then dial the international code
Then dial the destination number.

[pigro]

a useful link if looking for the cheapest access numbers (eg. 0844) from the UK to other countries is The Nifty List - it covers both account based and "call cost only" services, and it also covers calling international mobiles as well as landlines.

[Brownie]

Subject dear to my heart as I watched my Wind credit plummet trying to sort out an issue with my bank in the UK.

A lot depends on your circumstances and how often you call.
We spend most time in the UK where we have a fixed line and less time in Italy where we have just mobile accounts.

FROM UK TO ITALY
18185 and its sister companies charge about 1p or less per minute to fixed italian line and 15p per minute to mobiles. Reliable in quality and billing
JustVoip and its sister companies are pre-pay and charge nothing to call fixed italian lines and 8p per minute to mobiles. You need to add pre-pay credit, you don't need to call using the internet as they have a UK access number you can use instead for a 5p connection charge. Less reliable in quality depends on time of day and network congestion, particularly calls to mobiles.
Noodle is a new one and you can call out for practically nothing using your inclusive mobile minutes - they subsidise your call by doing interconnect revenue share (involves nothing on your behalf but gives you cheaper calls). Currently reliable in quality and billing and customer service that call you back if you email a query - stunning. They also have a nifty way of diverting a UK mobile number to your italian SIM so whilst you're away people can call you just dialling an ordinary UK mobile number.

An Orchid dialler takes the hard work out of remembering all those access codes BTW.

FROM ITALY TO UK - ASSUMING YOU HAVE BROADBAND
Eutelia Skypho gives you basically what Skype does but for less ie free local numbers either in Italy or UK and cheaper calls.
If you live in a covered area you can even get your wireless broadband from Eutelia on a pay as you go daily rate which is great for second home owners, providing you're in the limited coverage area, predominantly bits of Toscana, Umbria and now parts of northern Lazio. 3 cheers for Eutelia - our only chance of broadband in Tuscia.
JustVoip and the sister companies can get you practically free calls back to the UK providing you use your computer
Sightspeed is also worth looking at as it gives better quality than Skype and allows people you connect to, videocalling without them having to first install the Sightspeed software.

FROM ITALY TO UK - ASSUMING YOU HAVE A FIXED LANDLINE
A whole plethora of companies who ask you to put in a prefix code, no account required for calls starting at 1c, just google for chiamare all'estero and take your pick. There is an italian site for 18185 for those familiar with it in the UK.

FROM ITALY TO UK - ASSUMING YOU HAVE NO FIXED LINE AND RELY ON MOBILES
Best deal I've found at the moment is Iminuti combined with Vodafone Casa Infinity. VCI give you 500 minutes per month for E3 to any landline in italy which is good for your local use as well as international "because".....you use your minutes to call Iminuti in Milan and then onwards to wherever you like with nifty speed dial numbers. IMinuti to UK landline is about 3c per minute. VCI demand you only call from your house and vicinity to qualify for inclusive calls but it's not that difficult to achieve.

Jajah and Vyke / Tri-call are also worth a look though they work on a callback basis to your mobile (you send a text and they connect both parties) which makes it hit and miss in reliability and quality.

Happy calling and only too pleased to see someone find an even cheaper (yet still reliable) way of keeping in touch.

[arty]

Thanks Brownie - just what I have been looing for. Had solved the problem of UK to Italy etc calls using Skype and 18185, but was stumped for a option for Italy - UK. Will investigate the italian 18185 option as I am very impressed with their service and reliable billing.



PS Can't find the italian version of 18185 - have tried www.18185.it - am assuming it is not this address - help!

[Brownie]

They didn't make it easy to find but it's imaginatively called www.tel10090.it

If you use 18185 from the UK you'll spot the similarities immediately.
No free calls to the UK but 2c per minute but you know these things change constantly.

[arty]

Molto grazie! I will add this to my Sykpe option so I have more flexibility.

[Robert]

The link to 10090 is very helpful but it seems you have to formally join the service. Is there no prefix you can add to call cheaply from Italy to landlines and mobiles in the uk as you can do in the UK? (Sorry if this covered elsewhere)

From the UK you can call a mobile in Italy for 9p pm using 0871 3420505 as the prefix

[Brownie]

Crikey I thought I'd covered most eventualities.

You could try IMinuti's direct calling service so no need to register or prepay. That may fit the bill if you want a more informal flexible, use when you want to approach. IMinuti Direct: Chiama il mondo a tariffa discount rates are almost certain to be higher than pre-pay or registered services because they expect you to be more transient.