Cheap phone calls to Switzerland

[Oldie]

I am True Move customer and need to make phone calls from Thailand to Switzerland. What is the cheapest way? 

[izod10]

whatsapp     its free

[Oldie]

2 minutes ago, izod10 said:

whatsapp     its free

I need to make phone calls. There were some services years ago. But they don't exist anymore. 

[lopburi3]

Did you check post 2 suggestion?  I do not use but this is what comes up with google.

Quote

With WhatsApp, you'll get fast, simple, secure messaging and calling for free^*, available on phones all over the world.

 

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

Did you check post 2 suggestion?  I do not use but this is what comes up with google.

 

And Microsoft messenger, free chat, phone calls and video calls.

I use Whatsapp as well.

 

Both work well, no good for phoning your bank though.

So depends if you're making business calls, or to family and friends.

Edited June 27, 2020 by BritManToo

[Pilotman]

you can make voice calls, as well as video calls. on Whatsapp, Viber, LINE and lots of other apps, all free  Who makes phone calls on a phone nowadays? I grant you that some banks (most of them) are at least 10 years behind in technology and sometimes will only take calls from a registered phone.  It's the bane of my life when I have to deal with them. They are muppets, but we have to deal with morons sometimes. 

[Oldie]

The problem is that I need to call businesses for instance banks. I can only use the phone. I found the 006 at True Move. For the before cheaper 00600 I could not find any information anymore. 

[VBF]

You could get a second SIM on AIS. (Can your phone take 2 SIM cards?)

Not sure about Switzerland but I can call UK from my Thai mobile for 6 Baht/minute using their "003" service. I THINK it applies to most European countries.

If you make enough calls, might even be worth getting a super cheap phone just for them

[Oldie]

3 minutes ago, VBF said:

You could get a second SIM on AIS. (Can your phone take 2 SIM cards?)

Not sure about Switzerland but I can call UK from my Thai mobile for 6 Baht/minute using their "003" service. I THINK it applies to most European countries.

If you make enough calls, might even be worth getting a super cheap phone just for them

True Move 006 to the UK is only 5 for fixed and 7 for mobile. It gets on my nerves. Normally I don't make phone calls anymore. I use LINE. But this is not possible if you call banks for instance. 

[mark5335]

 I call my overseas bank's phone number using Skype from Thailand. I subscribe to a skype phone number, (same IDD prefix as the bank) in case the bank needs to call me back (the bank call will come through skype onto my phone or computer in Thailand unbeknown to them). There is some cost involved but this is minimal when compared to using a traditional phone.

[motdaeng]

... skype ... to a landline it is about 1.32 chf per 60 mins ...

or you pay 6.99 usd per months for mobiles and landlines ...

[stephenterry]

Skype for both overseas business and personal calls. Cheap as chips.

[Oldie]

26 minutes ago, mark5335 said:

 I call my overseas bank's phone number using Skype from Thailand. I subscribe to a skype phone number, (same IDD prefix as the bank) in case the bank needs to call me back (the bank call will come through skype onto my phone or computer in Thailand unbeknown to them). There is some cost involved but this is minimal when compared to using a traditional phone.

Skype phone number is not possible for Thailand. 

[ChipButty]

Download Telegram on your phone works good, also Voipraider not free but cheap as you like 

[Wongkitlo]

Where do you live?  I was in Pattaya and there was an internet cafe advertising cheap international calls in Soi Bukhao. If in Bangkok I'd go to the backpacker areas. Khaosan or Rambutrii. I remember years ago making cheap calls in Rambutrii. 

[stouricks]

23 minutes ago, Oldie said:

Skype phone number is not possible for Thailand. 

Register Skype in say UK, and use a VPN?

[mark5335]

25 minutes ago, Oldie said:

Skype phone number is not possible for Thailand. 

Correct. So the skype number that I use for the overseas bank is a Sydney/Australia prefix (i.e., +61 2) as the bank is based over there. Therefore they call me on my Australian number and I answer their call on my iPhone in Thailand on the skype app.

[Oldie]

Phone number for Thailand is not possible - okay. But Skype seems to be a good option. How is the call quality? And can I press keys when connected for selection of things?

 

Edited June 27, 2020 by Oldie

[Oldie]

1 hour ago, Wongkitlo said:

Where do you live?  I was in Pattaya and there was an internet cafe advertising cheap international calls in Soi Bukhao. If in Bangkok I'd go to the backpacker areas. Khaosan or Rambutrii. I remember years ago making cheap calls in Rambutrii. 

I want to use my own phone in my home. Need a table for documents and also don't want to have other people around me. 

[Paiman]

You can press keys. I use Skype for banking, have to work my way through the menu, each time given a choice of certain digits to press, until I am finally where I want to be.

 

I actually inform the person I am talking to that I am using Skype. Had problems once or twice but most of the times a stable connection.

[Oldie]

I think I will try Skype. Thank you all for your help. 

[stouricks]

2 hours ago, Oldie said:

I want to use my own phone in my home. Need a table for documents and also don't want to have other people around me. 

Well tell whoever else is in your home at that particular time to p..s off out.

[Oldie]

2 minutes ago, stouricks said:

Well tell whoever else is in your home at that particular time to p..s off out.

This is for sure. These are confidential business calls 

[topt]

4 hours ago, Oldie said:

Phone number for Thailand is not possible - okay. But Skype seems to be a good option. How is the call quality? And can I press keys when connected for selection of things?

Call quality is usually more than adequate. I normally buy £10 of credit at a time to make calls to the UK but have bought £5 and guess similar for Swiss Francs. No need for a special number. Can use dial pad during call as @Paimansays.

Never had an issue of someone refusing because I am using a number they do not recognise.

[Oldie]

7 minutes ago, topt said:

Call quality is usually more than adequate. I normally buy £10 of credit at a time to make calls to the UK but have bought £5 and guess similar for Swiss Francs. No need for a special number. Can use dial pad during call as @Paimansays.

Never had an issue of someone refusing because I am using a number they do not recognise.

Skype enables a Caller ID with your real phone number. Should work even without Skype number. You will get a confirmation SMS to your real phone number with a code for confirmation. 

[HampiK]

 

On 6/27/2020 at 12:31 PM, Oldie said:

Phone number for Thailand is not possible - okay. But Skype seems to be a good option. How is the call quality? And can I press keys when connected for selection of things?

 

And if you have an Office365 license then you have about 60 minutes free calls to swiss land-numbers.

And yes you can configure which number will be shown on the other side. When I call Switzerland It's automaticly shows my swiss (skype umber) which I already have a few years. but also could show my Swiss mobile number (which is not good) as when they call back, I not want pay the mobile roaming costs. So if you use it more often then I would suggest that you try to become an skype number as well. 
But if you only have to call them and not expecting a callback... then only register your mobile with your skype.. and every call you made will show your mobile.
I use it for call banks or the AHV in Geneva every year when I have something to clarify. The quality is good enough and never had a problem.

[userabcd]

You could buy one of those cheap calling cards from CAT telecom for about 300 baht. It will give you about 120 mins of calls.

 

If you do not mind dialling some additional numbers and following their instructions to go through this system it works out very cheap and reliable on a mobile phone to call abroad.

Edited June 29, 2020 by userabcd

[Oldie]

Just a remark in respect of Skype. Just tested it. Sadly the number you can set up as caller ID is not transmitted. Skype will display a random number. This means persons will not recognize who is calling and if they try to call you back it will not work and you will never realize it. Not so good... 

[Oldie]

Just a final update in respect of Skype. There might be a problem with showing the Caller ID but not one bank had a problem with it. Some of them even show when they call back a caller ID from Thailand. Perhaps they use Skype too... The call quality was excellent. The price next to nothing. Thank you all for your help.