Calling the UK

[yosib157]

Did anyone else have problems calling the UK yesterday (Tuesday)?

I tried for an hour to call 4 different official numbers in the UK and everytime I only got "no such number'' or number unavailable. 

These were all numbers I had called before so I dunno what was happening.

[NotEinstein]

How did you attempt to call them - landline, mobile, skype, another web-based service?

[yosib157]

I was using the same mobile and number I used last week

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, yosib157 said:

I was using the same mobile and number I used last week

Did you not try Skype then?

[yosib157]

Yes I have Skype, LINE, Facebook and 3 emails but the Government offices I need to call do not use any other contacts but by phone. I can't really share more than that on an open forum. But thanks for the suggestion anyway.

[OJAS]

11 hours ago, yosib157 said:

the Government offices I need to call

Maybe you were trying to call them when they were closed??

[josephbloggs]

On 7/5/2023 at 7:46 AM, KannikaP said:

Did you not try Skype then?

Is Skype still a thing?

[KannikaP]

21 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Is Skype still a thing?

Yes, still works perfectly.

 I have a Microsoft 365 Family subscription which gives me, and my 5 guests 100 minutes of Skype calls to almost any country per month each, plus 1TB of One Drive cloud storage each. So easy for calling UK landlines, banks, government etc. 

Well worth it.

[Expat68]

I only use messenger, no problems yesterday 

[Surasak]

£35/year for a local UK number plus £10 for calls. Most UK calls this way cost approx 1.4p per minute per call anywhere in the UK, 24/7

[tandor]

On 7/5/2023 at 5:50 AM, yosib157 said:

Did anyone else have problems calling the UK yesterday (Tuesday)?

I tried for an hour to call 4 different official numbers in the UK and everytime I only got "no such number'' or number unavailable. 

These were all numbers I had called before so I dunno what was happening.

https://earthsky.org/sun/sun-activity-solar-flare-cme-aurora-updates/

[blackcab]

On 7/6/2023 at 6:18 PM, josephbloggs said:

Is Skype still a thing?

 

Yes, I use it for cheap calls to the UK when I have to call a business or government office.

[MrJ2U]

On 7/6/2023 at 6:18 PM, josephbloggs said:

Is Skype still a thing?

Kinda.

 

Still works.

 

Line's the rage in Thailand. 

[yosib157]

Thanks for all the responses. I last called the UK maybe 10 years ago using SKYPE and have only used LINE for everything for the past 4. Since then I have had no need to call the UK, but this time it was essential that I contacted two specific  Government Offices who only use land lines for communication and refused to take the required information using emails. Maybe different for other Government departments. I cannot remember how long it is since I bought a phone card and didn't even know how to load it.

However, I eventually connected using the prefix 001 before 44. Apparently this is necessary when calling from a mobile to a UK landline, but it was extremely expensive. This method may be not be the best, but it worked for me and my issues have now been resolved.

Hopefully others in my situation may benefit from this information in the future.

[Pumpuynarak]

2 hours ago, yosib157 said:

However, I eventually connected using the prefix 001 before 44. Apparently this is necessary when calling from a mobile to a UK landline, but it was extremely expensive.

www.mytello.com is what i use, very cheap have a lookie.

[yosib157]

25 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

www.mytello.com is what i use, very cheap have a lookie.

Thanks for that-- and I did. 3thb/min for landline is far cheaper than the link I used. Wish I had known that before buying 600 baht of DTAC cards. Either way, in the unlikely event that I should ever need to call the UK again, I will certainly keep your link and use mytello. 

[Andycoops]

WhatsApp is free as is messenger.

 

Of course government offices won't be using them but I use phone and email with them effectively.

[blackshadow]

On 7/5/2023 at 7:46 AM, KannikaP said:

Did you not try Skype then?

how you know he has skype ?????

[KannikaP]

Just now, blackshadow said:

how you know he has skype ?????

You can use Skype to call ANY number.

[blackshadow]

Just now, KannikaP said:

You can use Skype to call ANY number.

only if have app on phone....laptop.....P C !!!!!

[KannikaP]

Just now, blackshadow said:

only if have app on phone....laptop.....P C !!!!!

Well that's not too difficult to do.

[blackshadow]

3 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Well that's not too difficult to do.

i know 

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, blackshadow said:

i know 

No need to shout! 555

[sandyf]

On 7/5/2023 at 8:39 AM, yosib157 said:

Yes I have Skype, LINE, Facebook and 3 emails but the Government offices I need to call do not use any other contacts but by phone. I can't really share more than that on an open forum. But thanks for the suggestion anyway.

You can make phone calls with skype but it is a chargeable service and you need to credit your account. It is the cheapest way but the downside is they cannot call back as you make the call on a pooled number, just provide another number for a return call.

Only time I use skype these days is a call to a UK entity as they invariably keep you waiting.

[WorriedNoodle]

4 hours ago, yosib157 said:

Hopefully others in my situation may benefit from this information in the future.

I will continue to always use Skype to call land lines in the UK or anywhere else in the world. Cheap and easy.

[Stocky]

20 minutes ago, blackshadow said:

only if have app on phone....laptop.....P C !!!!!

Yes you need the app to call, but using Skype Out you can call any landline or mobile, the person you're contacting doesn't need to have Skype.

 

Calls per minute to UK landline are 2.3¢ and 10¢ to a mobile.

 

I just use the pay as you go option and buy Eur 10 credit every two or three years.

[Scott]

Inflammatory post reported and removed.

 

[gargamon]

Skype? Ewww.

 

Google voice gives free calls to most USA and Canadian phones. Calls to the UK are $0.01 USD per minute. How much per minute for Skype?

 

Google voice needs you to be in the US to sign up. Use a vpn..

[thoengthaied]

To the OP...I called the UK Department of Pensions yesterday at 15:30 Thai time (09:30 UK time) using Skype and connected immediately. No problems apart from having to wait about 5 minutes for them to connect me to the right department because of a high volume of calls.

[yosib157]

On 7/6/2023 at 6:18 PM, josephbloggs said:

Is Skype still a thing?

Thanks for even more comments, but, as I am satisfied with how I finally completed my business, could the moderators please close this topic. It also appears that inevitably someone has taken time to write inflammatory comments --- so I'm done.