Cat71 Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Can anyone suggest a cheap method for phoning the UK? We're with Fr telecom and we have a monthly agreement of about 9euros extra per month for calls to EU countries but they are limited. We now have 3 members of the family in the UK! Great, but all of them call me for 5 seconds and say 'Mum, Mum, Mum! The bills on you! Phone me back because you're in France and we're in the UK and our credit is running out!" Familiar story, I'm sure!I need the least complicated and most inexpensive method please. They can do mobiles and landlines. I can't do mobile, only landlines. Thanks,Catherine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Can't you use Skype from your computer. Stupidly cheap for phoning uk landline and free to other computers.www.skype.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skype Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat71 Posted November 27, 2006 Author Share Posted November 27, 2006 Yes, I do but two out of the three don't have access to a computer. Third one is just setting it all up but isn't at home until very late. Skype is brilliant but not so good unless they all have computer access and are on line all day. It is quite hard to co-ordinate without this kind of access! I need a cheap option for a telephone connection. Catherine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Skype now reaches landlines - I read it in a magazine today. I'll try to find it for details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 It's been like that for ages! Skype out it's called. It's only you that needs the computer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat71 Posted November 27, 2006 Author Share Posted November 27, 2006 Brillant! We havn't explored Skype yet but will have a good look at the free option. We hadn't realised that they offered that facility for free. A word I like!Thank you. Catherine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 It isn't free to landlines, but it IS very cheap. The prices quoted are US, Spain, Australia - 1.25p/min; India 10p/Min, but you would need to confirm that with your ISP (prices quoted are for BT). Prices to mobiles are higher. Check out www.skype.com - I shall be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Voipcheap & Tesco are cheaper....They all need broadband, tho'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumGirl Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 I prefer the sound quality of Yahoo Messenger. It was also less expensive than Skype.PG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 You could also give teleconnect a look. They have just introduced a broadband service which includes an add-on of cheap calls to the UK and other countries. It's a US company so everything is in English (of a sort!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Skype France to Uk landline 1.2p per min. How much cheaper are these other companies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Skype actually claim their lowest call cost is 1.4p per min NOT 1.2p From Skype's home page "With Skype you can call phones anywhere in the world from as little as 1.4p per minute.". You have yo watch VAT and Skype (as many of their quoted prices do not include VAT/TVA, or VAT/TVA is in a light grey next to the excl VAT/TVA price - no total price given). This is actually not desperately cheap (particularly as you have to call from your computer and also have to pay in advance !!)Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayJay Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 We have the Alice ADSL package that includes all calls to UK, Europe & North America for an extra 9.95€ a month. There are others that have this too.Also, we have an 0844 number for people in the UK to call us, it costs them 2p a minute to call you in France, if they're with BT or NTL. Not sure if you need to be with Primus for cheap calls to sign up for this, but it's worth looking into. We had Primus before getting the ADSL, but kept it for back up, in case Alice is playing up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Jay Jay we too used to pay 9.95 for Alice Monde but a couple of months ago the calls became free with the ADSL package. You don't need to pay anymore unless you want to phone 100plus other countries. Have a check but I'm sure it must apply to you too. You have to go to a little box in your account and desactiver Alice Monde though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samdebretagne Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 I use a combination of skype and Télérabais. Télérabais costs 1.4 cents per minute nights and weekends and 2.8 cents per minute during the day.Another option you might want to consider with skype is that besides being able to call a landline from your computer, you can also get a UK phone number for your computer, so that people can call you at national rates, just as if you were back home in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 [quote user="Deimos"]Skype actually claim their lowest call cost is 1.4p per min NOT 1.2p From Skype's home page "With Skype you can call phones anywhere in the world from as little as 1.4p per minute.". You have yo watch VAT and Skype (as many of their quoted prices do not include VAT/TVA, or VAT/TVA is in a light grey next to the excl VAT/TVA price - no total price given). This is actually not desperately cheap (particularly as you have to call from your computer and also have to pay in advance !!)Ian[/quote]It comes up as 1.2 when i dial the number, but as you say maybe its not including Vat. Anyway i find it cheap and it works well for me. EDIT: I also like the fact it is pre paid, plus calls to French landlines are free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayJay Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 [quote user="Ruth"]Jay Jay we too used to pay 9.95 for Alice Monde but a couple of months ago the calls became free with the ADSL package. You don't need to pay anymore unless you want to phone 100plus other countries. Have a check but I'm sure it must apply to you too. You have to go to a little box in your account and desactiver Alice Monde though.[/quote]Thanks Ruth, I'm checking that out.[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrym Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 try one of the betamax companies who (can) provide calls to the uk for free - just a 5p connection charge per call then you get 300 minutes a week free; it works by calling your number, and then the other number so you actually use your normal telephone.see: http://www.inthevendee.com/inthevendee.php?inthevendee=voip for details on these options and links to the varioius betamax companies (voipcheap, webcalldirect etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat71 Posted November 28, 2006 Author Share Posted November 28, 2006 There is such a lot of choice out there! I think I'll start with Skype as I have that already. However, I'm just about to check out the Alice site and a few of your other suggestions. One of our neighbours uses Alice and compared to wanadoo it looks a bit cheaper!Thank you everybody. Catherine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat71 Posted November 28, 2006 Author Share Posted November 28, 2006 Your link is very useful barrym! I'm on it now.Catherine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 [quote user="samdebretagne"]Another option you might want to consider with skype is that besides being able to call a landline from your computer, you can also get a UK phone number for your computer, so that people can call you at national rates, just as if you were back home in the UK.[/quote] There are better and cheaper ways to do this. for example, get a UK local rate number (for free) so that people can call you from the UK at local rate. Thus you do not pay for the number (as you do for Skype's) and people calling you only pay UK local rate.Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat71 Posted November 28, 2006 Author Share Posted November 28, 2006 Now I'm going to look really dim but how do I go about getting a UK local rate number?Catherine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham & Brenda Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 If you are already with FT have you looked at the Atout 240 package? It is what we use as we have one son on a mobile only and one with a landline and mobile. More expensive than Skype but more convenient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A&E Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 My Dad moved to Brittany in March. I set up a draytel account for him www.draytel.org and it works very well. The plug in box cost £30, calls are 1p a min, top your credit up on line. You do need broadband for this. He has a UK local rate number, so friends and family can call, usually free as part of their BT calls.I have set up my own account, (I'm moving to Pays de la Loire v.soon.) calls between draytel accounts are free, wherever you are. As I am still in UK, I have had need to call French land lines, also just 1p a minute, probably cheaper than FT! Reduced call costs also to most mobiles.Very reliable service - recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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