What Is The Cheapest Way To Phone Home?

[advancebooking]

I'm currently using Skype 'top up' system to call Australian landlines, mobiles and '13xxxx' numbers and its costing too much in my opinion...

Can anyone suggest a cheaper way. I don't have a landline here in LOS - only a top up mobile.

many thanks

[LongTimeLurker]

International calling cards can be had at any 7-11.

I thought you could use Skype for free though? I have done on the computer anyway.

[mogandave]

Use someone else's phone?

[nisakiman]

Check out Voip Discount (Google it). It's the cheapest I've found. From here in Greece my wife can call mobiles and landlines in Thailand free, as long as I have some credit. For me to call UK, it's about 12 cents a minute (I think - can't remember exactly) to both mobile and landline (again- I think!). They have a comprehensive price list you can check out, so you can look before you commit. I put about €10 credit on every three months or so.

[jbrain]

[StreetCowboy]

Live locally

[BngkkB]

Do you have a data plan on your mobile? If your paying per minute for data your paying to much. Get a data plan.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Thaivisa Connect App

[bangkokburning]

I just use 004 on dtac. Cant be bothered + concerns quality is not good enuff to vonverse with old people (volume, lag...).

[Sharp]

Wwwoooaaahhhh....

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[mania]

True has a refillable that runs 1 baht per minute anywhere

I have used it for years on my mobile to call both cells & landlines works fine.

Except of course you are charged the same for local calls & I guess you could get that cheaper

on another plan.

Edited November 29, 2012 by mania

[FritsSikkink]

009 with 1 2 call

[nickmanchester2]

I use VOIP Gain which has free calls to UK (and most counties I expect) landlines - you have to top up around 11 euros to get 90 days of free calls - the credit remains even after your 90 free days are up.

[daleph]

If you both have a data connection that is Edge or better, give viber a try.

A downloadable app and totally free

It uses very little data

[soomak]

Skype 'unlimited world' plan costs $US 13.33 per month (400 baht), and covers landlines in Australia (but doesn't cover mobiles)

[jbrain]

If you both have a data connection that is Edge or better, give viber a try.

A downloadable app and totally free

It uses very little data

Free from Viber to Viber, same as there are hundreds of similar free apps, but the OP wanted to call any phone at a cheaper rate.

[daleph]

If you both have a data connection that is Edge or better, give viber a try.

A downloadable app and totally free

It uses very little data

Free from Viber to Viber, same as there are hundreds of similar free apps, but the OP wanted to call any phone at a cheaper rate.

My Bad, didn't read it properly obviously .

So MobileVOIP also gets my vote, i use that every day too

You have to put 10 credit of, but then you get almost daily free calls as long as you don't abuse it to death.

HTH

Dale

[craigt3365]

Let's try this over in the communications forum. Topic Moved.

[Pib]

True has a refillable that runs 1 baht per minute anywhere

I have used it for years on my mobile to call both cells & landlines works fine.

Except of course you are charged the same for local calls & I guess you could get that cheaper

on another plan.

1 baht per minute to anywhere---like from Thailand to Australia like the OP asked about? You are probably talking 1 baht per minute to calls "within Thailand" which is a common/average rate among Thai cell carriers.

[MaxLee]

What's the cheapest way to call to USA from Thailand?

[mania]

True has a refillable that runs 1 baht per minute anywhere

I have used it for years on my mobile to call both cells & landlines works fine.

Except of course you are charged the same for local calls & I guess you could get that cheaper

on another plan.

1 baht per minute to anywhere---like from Thailand to Australia like the OP asked about? You are probably talking 1 baht per minute to calls "within Thailand" which is a common/average rate among Thai cell carriers.

No it is 1 baht anywhere the downside being yes also 1 baht in Thailand for local calls.

I think you can get that down to half a baht if you have a local type plan.

But yes I have been using this plan for years & it is 1 baht per minute & I mainly call the USA

I do not make many local calls actually

EDIT: Here It Is

http://www.truemove.com/en/Inter-SIM-Prepay.rails

Edited November 30, 2012 by mania

[David006]

00500 prefix on 12call is cheap as chips (about 3 bt a minute to Canada) .....

[jbrain]

True has a refillable that runs 1 baht per minute anywhere

I have used it for years on my mobile to call both cells & landlines works fine.

Except of course you are charged the same for local calls & I guess you could get that cheaper

on another plan.

1 baht per minute to anywhere---like from Thailand to Australia like the OP asked about? You are probably talking 1 baht per minute to calls "within Thailand" which is a common/average rate among Thai cell carriers.

No it is 1 baht anywhere the downside being yes also 1 baht in Thailand for local calls.

I think you can get that down to half a baht if you have a local type plan.

But yes I have been using this plan for years & it is 1 baht per minute & I mainly call the USA

I do not make many local calls actually

EDIT: Here It Is

http://www.truemove....IM-Prepay.rails

I read STARTING FROM 1 Bht a minute and quality calls starting from 3 Bht per minute.

If it was the same 1Bht rate to anywhere I guess it would say AT 1 Bht a minute instead of starting from. However I can find the conditions page anywhere, maybe you could kindly provide a link.

Edited November 30, 2012 by jbrain

[Pib]

True has a refillable that runs 1 baht per minute anywhere

I have used it for years on my mobile to call both cells & landlines works fine.

Except of course you are charged the same for local calls & I guess you could get that cheaper

on another plan.

1 baht per minute to anywhere---like from Thailand to Australia like the OP asked about? You are probably talking 1 baht per minute to calls "within Thailand" which is a common/average rate among Thai cell carriers.

No it is 1 baht anywhere the downside being yes also 1 baht in Thailand for local calls.

I think you can get that down to half a baht if you have a local type plan.

But yes I have been using this plan for years & it is 1 baht per minute & I mainly call the USA

I do not make many local calls actually

EDIT: Here It Is

http://www.truemove....IM-Prepay.rails

Thanks. I've seen that ad before and always wondered about the call connect success rate and call quality since like in the ad it talks about "quality" calls starting at 3 baht per minute. It basically makes it sound like the 1 baht/minute will be through low priority/low quality VOIP circuits but if opting for a 3 baht/minute call it will go through higher priority/higer quality circuits. So, just to confirm, your calls to the U.S. always go through...good audio quality...etc? Thanks.

[mania]

I read STARTING FROM 1 Bht a minute and quality calls starting from 3 Bht per minute.

If it was the same 1Bht rate to anywhere I guess it would say AT 1 Bht a minute instead of starting from. However I can find the conditions page anywhere, maybe you could kindly provide a link.

Hi jb

Yes here is a link

http://www.truemove....ndition-1.rails

It does in fact say

Service rates start from 1 baht/min. 24 hours a day for calls to any fixed line number registered in Unites States of America Canada China Hong Kong Singapore

So it could be more for other places

As i said previously all my calls are to the USA

But.....

On the bottom of this page last picture

http://www.truemove....IM-Prepay.rails

It also said you can check rates by dialing *006*+ country code

So I did & set it as Australia code 61

I got a text message in Thai & I THINK it says 1 baht per minute to cell & 6 baht to land line

BUT my Thai reading is not great & I will have my wife double check it when she gets home from work & post back later tonight.

Edited November 30, 2012 by mania

[mania]

Thanks. I've seen that ad before and always wondered about the call connect success rate and call quality since like in the ad it talks about "quality" calls starting at 3 baht per minute. It basically makes it sound like the 1 baht/minute will be through low priority/low quality VOIP circuits but if opting for a 3 baht/minute call it will go through higher priority/higer quality circuits. So, just to confirm, your calls to the U.S. always go through...good audio quality...etc? Thanks.

Hi Pib

I have only ever used the 00600 prefix which is the 1 baht per minute prefix

I have always had excellent connections & in all these years I would guess it dropped

maybe once or twice. So I cannot even say it is True as it could also be the carrier on the other end?

Personally I have never felt the need to try the more expensive/better quality prefix

Also I would say about half of my calls are to US land lines & half to cells.

The cells I call are in very remote areas so as I said the dropped couple could be their end.

OT but also,

When I lived there/USA I would get dropped calls sometimes while calling Thailand

At that time I used my cell on its basic rate ( 750 minutes a month )

But called a toll free number to Mobilecaller.com That let me call Thailand from the USA for

1 or 2 US cents per minute.

Was very nice quality & you could top up online yourself.

Too bad they do not offer Thailand as a originating spot in their rates

But good to let family member overseas know about it.If they want to call you

Just click on rates & choose what country you originate from & to which country you would like to call

to see rates

https://www.mobileca...48068D533C88AFE

Edited November 30, 2012 by mania

[Pib]

Mania,

Sounds good. Yea, I don't want to imply calls to/from country XYZ always go through/never have any voice quality problems. I've been using VOIP services from various companies for many years while living in the States and Thailand and all of them will have some call issues at some times...just avoiding those companies that seem to have a LOT of issues is the key. Sound like this True 1 baht/minute international calling is well worth the money and provides more than satisfactory outbound call service. Good to know...thanks.

Pib

[NHJ]

define where is your home and you might get a more accurate answer

[craigt3365]

As long as you have a decent internet connection, Skype is a bit less than 1 Baht to the US....if I read the rate chart correctly.

I've used a variety of calling cards. Quite a few have really poor quality.

[mania]

As long as you have a decent internet connection, Skype is a bit less than 1 Baht to the US....if I read the rate chart correctly.

I've used a variety of calling cards. Quite a few have really poor quality.

Skype is nice for PC to PC video calls too.

I always talk to my kids that way & it is free.

[jambco984]

International calling cards can be had at any 7-11.

I thought you could use Skype for free though? I have done on the computer anyway.

Skype to Skype calls yes you can I don't know about land lines or mobile numbers though.