Phone Call Cards With Cheap Rates

[cers]

Are there any phone call cards available in Bangkok which I can use to make cheap phone calls to Europe ? I am especially interested in cheap phone calls to the Netherlands.

[tpkhk]

Are there any phone call cards available in Bangkok which I can use to make cheap phone calls to Europe ? I am especially interested in cheap phone calls to the Netherlands.

There seem to be quite a few of these around.

the website - thaitelephone.com - sells them online. Like it says on the site - you can also buy the cards at various outlets shown on the website - BOOTS, 7-11, Siam Paragon etc.

Under the products tab - they have 3 types of cards.

I-talk card. 0.95Baht/minute to a landline in the Netherlands. 8baht/minute to a mobile. You need to pay local call charges to access the dial in menu. Advantage with this is that it recognizes the number you are calling from (register upto 3)- so no need to enter a long password each time.

Thook Jung card - 0.95baht/minute to a landline in the netherlands. I don't know anything about this.

Cat Telecom 1544 card - 2.5baht/minute to a landline in the netherlands. Mobile @14baht/minute.

I find the Cat Telecom card to be of better call quality. The call to access the menu etc. is toll free. You need to enter a 10+digit password each time - but the toll free access across the country.

Skype PC > Phone will cost you about 0.68baht/minute - the cheapest option.

I've seen cards like Zay Hi etc. Bought it once or twice - Didn't have much luck with call quality.

Hope this helps.

[Mercury]

Where do you get Bt0.68 from ?

[cers]

Are there any phone call cards available in Bangkok which I can use to make cheap phone calls to Europe ? I am especially interested in cheap phone calls to the Netherlands.

There seem to be quite a few of these around.

the website - thaitelephone.com - sells them online. Like it says on the site - you can also buy the cards at various outlets shown on the website - BOOTS, 7-11, Siam Paragon etc.

Under the products tab - they have 3 types of cards.

I-talk card. 0.95Baht/minute to a landline in the Netherlands. 8baht/minute to a mobile. You need to pay local call charges to access the dial in menu. Advantage with this is that it recognizes the number you are calling from (register upto 3)- so no need to enter a long password each time.

Thook Jung card - 0.95baht/minute to a landline in the netherlands. I don't know anything about this.

Cat Telecom 1544 card - 2.5baht/minute to a landline in the netherlands. Mobile @14baht/minute.

I find the Cat Telecom card to be of better call quality. The call to access the menu etc. is toll free. You need to enter a 10+digit password each time - but the toll free access across the country.

Skype PC > Phone will cost you about 0.68baht/minute - the cheapest option.

I've seen cards like Zay Hi etc. Bought it once or twice - Didn't have much luck with call quality.

Hope this helps.

This sure does help, tpkhk ! One more question, though : where can I buy those Cat Telecom cards ?

[tpkhk]

Mercury: The Skype rate page displays calls to Netherland landlines - without VAT at 0.021UScents / minute. At today F/x it now works out to 0.71THB/minute.

CERS:

The card as being sold at Central, Emporium, Siam Paragon, Boots, Foodland, Tops etc including the BTS. Having said that, some of them are usually sold out/unreplenished. You can also call the call center at thaitelephone (02-713-8955). If you don't want to use your credit card, they'll may offer other options.

I bought my first one at Boots (ask the cashier) - since then been using the website. CAT may have other cards - see that the access code is 1544. When you buy subsequent cards, you can keep transferring value to the original one and keep the same original password. Denominations from low of 200THB to as high as 1000THB.

One last thing - the relatively higher rates from CAT is justifiable if you use it for business calls. The other cards are passable, sometimes good, sometimes not so great - but never horrendous, so Ok for personal use.

[cers]

Mercury: The Skype rate page displays calls to Netherland landlines - without VAT at 0.021UScents / minute. At today F/x it now works out to 0.71THB/minute.

CERS:

The card as being sold at Central, Emporium, Siam Paragon, Boots, Foodland, Tops etc including the BTS. Having said that, some of them are usually sold out/unreplenished. You can also call the call center at thaitelephone (02-713-8955). If you don't want to use your credit card, they'll may offer other options.

I bought my first one at Boots (ask the cashier) - since then been using the website. CAT may have other cards - see that the access code is 1544. When you buy subsequent cards, you can keep transferring value to the original one and keep the same original password. Denominations from low of 200THB to as high as 1000THB.

One last thing - the relatively higher rates from CAT is justifiable if you use it for business calls. The other cards are passable, sometimes good, sometimes not so great - but never horrendous, so Ok for personal use.

Thanks again, tpkhk !

[bdakota]

Can anyone tell me the most econoimical way to call from US to Thailand. I only use a mobile phone.. Verizon Service. Will I still incur airtime charges?. I frequently am not by a computer to make such calls. What then is the best way to go about this?.

Thanks

[tpkhk]

The most economical route (to call from the US to Thailand) may be to get a pre-paid calling card(preferably with a toll free access number in the US so you don't have to pay Verizon). Based on internet adverts, I would suspect rates would be say 1-2c / minute for the long distance portion.... so, 60c - US$1.20/hr.

There are probably dozens of these kind of cards - best tip would be to go to the nearest oriental store - which would probably sell it. You could try a Thai restaurant too. If all else fails - their staff from S. E. Asia, will have all sorts of tips for you on where to find them, call quality etc.

It is also possible to get a Skype To Go number in the US - to call Thailand from your mobile. If you can pick a Skype to Go number - in your local calling area, Verizon airtime charges may not apply. See skype's website/set up instructions. The rates should be competitive with the above.

I've also seen services like Vonage offering unlimited free international calling - but that probably doesn't work from your cell phone.

There are some cards that advertise in Thailand - targeting people who go abroad - buy them here and use them to call home (Thailand) from overseas - but I believe the rates are much higher than any of the above.

[bdakota]

The most economical route (to call from the US to Thailand) may be to get a pre-paid calling card(preferably with a toll free access number in the US so you don't have to pay Verizon). Based on internet adverts, I would suspect rates would be say 1-2c / minute for the long distance portion.... so, 60c - US$1.20/hr.

There are probably dozens of these kind of cards - best tip would be to go to the nearest oriental store - which would probably sell it. You could try a Thai restaurant too. If all else fails - their staff from S. E. Asia, will have all sorts of tips for you on where to find them, call quality etc.

It is also possible to get a Skype To Go number in the US - to call Thailand from your mobile. If you can pick a Skype to Go number - in your local calling area, Verizon airtime charges may not apply. See skype's website/set up instructions. The rates should be competitive with the above.

I've also seen services like Vonage offering unlimited free international calling - but that probably doesn't work from your cell phone.

There are some cards that advertise in Thailand - targeting people who go abroad - buy them here and use them to call home (Thailand) from overseas - but I believe the rates are much higher than any of the above.

Your advice was right on the mark.

Actually any 7-11 or liquor store will do. I purchased a calling card for $5 for two hours of talk time!!! On the back of the card is an 800 number along with a slew of other numbers beginning with local and surrounding area codes. In this way, you need not dial the 800 # just one of the given the local numbers. I spoke with Verizon and though your plan's air minutes are deducted, [(not weekend or off-peek hours, (night minutes) as both of these such minutes are free], there is no monetary charge to the account. Off peak/ night-time minutes generally begin on or after 9:00 pm Mon-Fri and end end at 6:00 am. Same holds true for weekend minutes... begin Fri. 9:00 pm ends Monday 5:59 am. However, I must preface this by explaining that if you exceed your plan's monthly air- time minute allowance, you will pay handsomely through the nose for "overcharges," (exceeding those minutes). Moral of the story, if you have sufficient monthly minutes, and you want to talk up a storm, the prepaid card can not be beat. Just to show apples to apples, Verizon will charge you $3.50-$5.50/month for the priviledge of "participating" in their "international program," then you'll pay additionally, per minute, depending on the country you call. In the case of US-> Thailand, per Verizon, .24/min land line and .26/min cell # . Hence a 2 hour phone call using Verizon only, would set you back $31.00. Conversely, the calling card runs you $5.00 for the same 2 hours Six times as expense... look into purchasing their stock... You might be right though... being able to get something evener more economical than this... .01-.02cents/min. I need to do a bit more investigating...

Thanks for the advice.

Edited September 9, 2009 by bdakota

[tpkhk]

Bdakota:

Thanks for the follow up post. Very useful.

You may want to look into setting up Skype for your mobile phone. They have a Skype to Go plan advertising - unlimited calls to Thailand - including mobile phones at Euro 3.95 (US$5.7 at today's F/x). Thailand was added recently. Skype even has a 40 country unlimited calling list for Euro 9 or so.

Of course, the above is only good for you if Skype can give you an access code that falls within your Verizon free calling area. Am not sure how it works with Skype. If you get around that, sounds like you'll bump into Verizon's free air minute limitation.

When you get around to it, may be worth asking the oriental store/restaurant etc. Quite a few card averts on the net - but don't know which ones are legit and have good call quality, expiration etc. I think we'd be surprised at the price difference of a widely available calling card and those that people who need to call home often use.

Best,

[elektrified]

I use the Zay Hi card to call the USA. 85 Satang per minute. No local access cost either. They call you back. They sell them in Black Canyon Coffee in Chiang Mai.

[tingtong]

if you willing to use internet to initiate calls, maybe you can have a look:

www.voipdiscount.com

i use them over 3.5 yrs now, the cheapest i can find, calling from Thailand, or to Thai as well....

[pampal]

I use Hatari Hello card. I buy them in the mobile phone seller section of MBK.

[Duckie2328]

Are there any phone call cards available in Bangkok which I can use to make cheap phone calls to Europe ? I am especially interested in cheap phone calls to the Netherlands.

Phone cards are crap dude, If I were you I'd get with an International service provider. My friend went to Europe last month and he used Rangeroamer. It worked pretty good from what I could tell when he called me. And I guess it was pretty cheap. That might be what your looking for. If you wanna go check it out just search rangeroamer on google. hope that helped!

[crev]

Can anyone tell me the most econoimical way to call from US to Thailand. I only use a mobile phone.. Verizon Service. Will I still incur airtime charges?. I frequently am not by a computer to make such calls. What then is the best way to go about this?.

Thanks

There are many ways to call Thailand from US. If you want to use your Verizon cell phone then yes it will incur airtime minutes. You won't get charge unless you used up all your minutes then you'll get overage charge which can be expensive. Most mobile plans has unlimited airtime on weekends so I suggest make most of your calls during those days. Check with Verizon just to make sure. I should know as I use my T-mobile using Onesuite calling card to call overseas too and I get unlimited mobile minutes on weekends

Again be wary of using up all your minutes because the charge per minute after you use up your plan is as much as 40 cents per minute.