[kiara7]

Hi Mamas,

I was wondering, for those of you that call overseas from US, what service do you use?

We used to have Time Warner's digital phone one price which was awesome (3000 min for $20), we moved and now I don't.

Is there anything similar, or not as expensive as 10c/min?

Thank you.

 

[ShwarmaQueen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiara7 Hi Mamas, I was wondering, for those of you that call overseas from US, what service do you use? We used to have Time Warner's digital phone one price which was awesome (3000 min for $20), we moved and now I don't. Is there anything similar, or not as expensive as 10c/min? Thank you.

We use uniontelecard- it's cheap for calling N. Africa, but it seems depend on the website, destination, etc. , so it just varies on the rate. I think the cheapest ours ever got was 14 c/min.

Recently we started using hotmail chat and that has cut our phone calling down considerably (great because even though I could never say anything to DH the $20 every-other-week was killing us). I am also checking into Skype as I hear it's "all the rage".

 

[Theoretica]

We have Cox phone service and they have international calling for 3.99 a month where we can call S.Korea for 3 cents a minute. Well worth the monthly cost, it's AWESOME. Other countries are other rates, but I don't think any are higher than eight cents a minute.

HTH
Bellevuemama

 

[Dar]

If your families have internet access then skype would be free... if not then it's 10,000 minutes a month for $9.95 to certain countries, and there's a cost per minutes to others... depending on the area and whether you're calling a mobile or not, you can call South Korea for just over 2 cents a minute, and there's no monthly fee. Most countires are under 3 cents a minute, unless you're calling a mobile.

Skype Rocks!

You do have to get used to the headset thing, but it isn't really a big deal, IMO...

Dar

 

[lilith1]

I use a skype phone with number to call Germany, $10 unlimited calling a month. The skype phone works like a regular house phone, cordless for mobility. I also have skype mobile on my cell phone, I get the same rates, only use my minutes from my t-mobile account. Works well for us.

 

[bremen]

it depends on which country you are calling. ireland and uk are free on my vonage phone. the service is $25 per month for unlimited calling

 

[KikaKika]

If you are calling several different numbers, than one of the services is needed.
If you call only one or two, think about purchasing Magic Jack , it's $20/year (+ one time $20 for the actual Jack). It works through Net service, but if your family has a good connection, it's great!

They get an US #, so you can call them or they can call you without limits.

 

[Bad Mama Jama]

i use the vartech dial-around code: 10-10-297. it is .03 a minute but there is a monthly fee tacked on (only during the months i use it), but i find that even with the fee, the calls are still pretty cheap.

and by the way, that rate is to the UK, so i am not sure if other countries differ.

 

[Justmee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KikaKika If you are calling several different numbers, than one of the services is needed. If you call only one or two, think about purchasing Magic Jack , it's $20/year (+ one time $20 for the actual Jack). It works through Net service, but if your family has a good connection, it's great! They get an US #, so you can call them or they can call you without limits.

Yup, we have magic jack too. If the person has an internet connection you can send them one and they can call you for free. If not you can get one and the international rates are very reasonable.

 

[Bad Mama Jama]

wow! i am going to have to look into the magic jack. that sounds like it rocks!

 

[Bad Mama Jama]

now i looked at it and i am going to have to find out whether my UK connection has internet service cause if so, this will be awesome!!!!

 

[Bellabaz]

we buy phone cards over the internet.

 

[Bloomingstar]

we use Skype or buy a $2 phone card from a bodega for quick calls.

 

[kiara7]

Wow, I'm really going to look into MajicJack. To tell you the truth their commercials look like cheap informercials, so I was a little wary.

Thanks ladies!

 

[MamaEli]

Phone cards from the gas station. The $5 Carona card gets us about a half hour to forty minutes to Kenya. DH's family uses a mobile or a phone kiosk to receive our calls. Majick jack would be nice, but they don't have electricity, let alone a phone hookup at home.

 

[Theia]

We call to Kenya a lot too. I use the NobelCom calling cards ordered over the net. They were one of the cheaper ones that also don't try to eat up your balance too quickly with "maintenance fees". Some calling card companies will charge you .80 or more a week! as a maintenance fee as well as a connection fee, etc.... if you have to buy calling cards then pay close attention to the other fee's cuz they can really make a difference in the so called per minute rates that are advertised.

 

[EdnaMarie]

We use Skype to the CIS (former U.S.S.R.) and everywhere else we want to call. No worries about calling card errors or anything. It's so reliable and cheap. We love it. They call us using Internet telephony services to call us on our mobile phones when they need to.

 

[studentmama]

Phone cards here. I wish the internet connection was reliable over there so we could use skype.

 

[EdnaMarie]

Student mama, you can use Skype to call them on their home phone. They don't need the Internet.

 

[peacefulT]

SKYPE SKYPE SKYPE SKYPE !!!!

:

ITS THE BEST... I live in Brasil and I call my family in the USA all the time for FREE ... great connection, easy to use... and I live in a small village and we dont even have a high speed internet connection and it still works wonderfully .... no PROBLEMS !!