Overseas phone calls and Skype

[Ebenweb]

I have what appears to be a decent ADSL line from True, but am unable to maintain Skype calls with Australia or Canada. I suspect radical upload throttling.

Is there such a thing as overseas calling cards here, where I can dial a proxy service and pay very little for calling overseas numbers?

The only phone I have is a pre-paid AIS mobile account.

[FolkGuitar]

You might want to look into your True connection. I use a 12MPS True connection and use Skype regularly to the US, UK, Hong Kong, Japan, etc. Saturday, Sunday and holidays the connection is iffy, but otherwise, usually no problem at all. Oops... sometimes 9pm-10pm calls to North America can be a challenge, but that's only sometimes.

[NBD]

Skype is hit and miss.

On my AIS contract phone I can dial 00500 in front of the number and get rates of about 2thb a minute which is fine. I imagine you can use the same from PAYG?

[Ebenweb]

 

Skype is hit and miss.

On my AIS contract phone I can dial 00500 in front of the number and get rates of about 2thb a minute which is fine. I imagine you can use the same from PAYG?

 

thanks, that's gold.

calling Australia is about 8thb/min, which isn't great but still better than nothing.

here's a link to an AIS page i found giving the related details, including ways to check the rates of different services before actually calling. note: the "default" service you get when dialing "+" instead of a specific prefix charges 18thb/minute for Oz, compared to the 00500 prefix mentioned above. haven't compared other countries.

http://www.ais.co.th/12call/en/service-ain.html

[elektrified]

Zay Hi is all I ever use.

http://www.zayhi.com/

0.95 THB per minute to Australia (rates change weekly/daily?). I call Switzerland, USA, U.K., Czech Republic, Germany, Spain often and have been using it for years. Great connection and cheap. They used to sell cards but I don't think they have cards anymore. They just give you a receipt with PIN code. You can buy 100, 300, 500, or 1000 THB. Good for about 6 months. Available at any Post Office. You can call a number and the computer calls you right back so you don't even incur a local charge.

Highly recommended.

[Frank James]

Which PO branch do you buy Zayhi from? I used to buy the cards regularly, but now the PO's all seem to say "don't have" or act like they never heard of Zayhi. Are there other cards?

I must give Skype a try. If even my tech-illiterate ex-wife can handle it, I guess I can learn, too.

[puck2]

If you don't or cannot use Skype try NONOH - google it. It's akind of VOIP.

You start paying a small credit, it's 12,xx € for me. From this moment on you have a free calling (to netlines !) for 120 days. After that time the credit is reduced by 0,02 € (2 cents) per minute for each call, not yet 1 THB.

The credit going near to zero you get an advice to buy again a credit. Then the same procedure like before .... 120 days free calling etc. For me he connection is better than by TOT-telephone netline.

You need a netline and a PC or a notebook for dialling.

Edited January 10, 2014 by puck2

[Thailand]

Naver Line, a bit of a social network but calls are free, video calls are free, instant messaging is free and can be private or group orientated.Seems to work having gone from zero to 250 million users in less than 3 years.

Same problem though, connections depend on your provider and timing.

[Ebenweb]

Zay Hi is all I ever use.

http://www.zayhi.com/

0.95 THB per minute to Australia (rates change weekly/daily?). I call Switzerland, USA, U.K., Czech Republic, Germany, Spain often and have been using it for years. Great connection and cheap. They used to sell cards but I don't think they have cards anymore. They just give you a receipt with PIN code. You can buy 100, 300, 500, or 1000 THB. Good for about 6 months. Available at any Post Office. You can call a number and the computer calls you right back so you don't even incur a local charge.

Highly recommended.

Where did you buy the service last?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Edited January 10, 2014 by Ebenweb

[circusman]

Using 3bb 590 baht service in Hong dong I can make skype calls to usa with never a problem.

[elektrified]

Which PO branch do you buy Zayhi from? I used to buy the cards regularly, but now the PO's all seem to say "don't have" or act like they never heard of Zayhi. Are there other cards?

I must give Skype a try. If even my tech-illiterate ex-wife can handle it, I guess I can learn, too.

As a matter of fact I just bought Zay Hi credit yesterday from Kamthieng Post Office. But as far as I know, they all have it. They used to sell cards at the P.O. and at coffee shops but I think they dropped the cards. Now, you just tell them how much credit you want and they open a notebook with all the bar codes for mobile carriers, etc. and scan Zay Hi, and give you a receipt with the PIN.

[elektrified]

Zay Hi is all I ever use.

http://www.zayhi.com/

0.95 THB per minute to Australia (rates change weekly/daily?). I call Switzerland, USA, U.K., Czech Republic, Germany, Spain often and have been using it for years. Great connection and cheap. They used to sell cards but I don't think they have cards anymore. They just give you a receipt with PIN code. You can buy 100, 300, 500, or 1000 THB. Good for about 6 months. Available at any Post Office. You can call a number and the computer calls you right back so you don't even incur a local charge.

Highly recommended.

Where did you buy the service last?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

See post above. Thailand Post.

[andreandre]

I use Voipbuster as well as Skype, the advantage with Voipbuster is that i can call from my computer to home landlines free unlimited time..

Often i need to call someone who may not be online as is for Skype..so this one is great for me

http://www.voipbuster.com/

Edited January 10, 2014 by andreandre

[zippydedodah]

I have been here for close to 5 yrs and have been using MagicJack the whole time... of course, that can only be done if you purchase MJ from the website... and get the dongle that fits into either your computer or router... OTOH.. i believe they also have a smartphone app too. So once you pay the flat yearly rate (under 20 USD), you can phone USA numbers for free, as much as you want.. including alaska and hawaii..

[CMSteve]

Same here for MagicJack. Uses a lot less bandwidth than Skype with clear quality calls. Its great for US and Canada, but useless for Australia...

[vagabond48]

Zay Hi is all I ever use.

http://www.zayhi.com/

0.95 THB per minute to Australia (rates change weekly/daily?). I call Switzerland, USA, U.K., Czech Republic, Germany, Spain often and have been using it for years. Great connection and cheap. They used to sell cards but I don't think they have cards anymore. They just give you a receipt with PIN code. You can buy 100, 300, 500, or 1000 THB. Good for about 6 months. Available at any Post Office. You can call a number and the computer calls you right back so you don't even incur a local charge.

Highly recommended.

I bought the ZayHi card and found it to be a hit and miss calling China. I use a mobile to call and use their call back but they charge a 1/2 baht per minute. I believe you mentioned in another thread you use a land line to make your calls. Perhaps when they call a land line, there is only one fee per call.

[elektrified]

Zay Hi is all I ever use.

http://www.zayhi.com/

0.95 THB per minute to Australia (rates change weekly/daily?). I call Switzerland, USA, U.K., Czech Republic, Germany, Spain often and have been using it for years. Great connection and cheap. They used to sell cards but I don't think they have cards anymore. They just give you a receipt with PIN code. You can buy 100, 300, 500, or 1000 THB. Good for about 6 months. Available at any Post Office. You can call a number and the computer calls you right back so you don't even incur a local charge.

Highly recommended.

I bought the ZayHi card and found it to be a hit and miss calling China. I use a mobile to call and use their call back but they charge a 1/2 baht per minute. I believe you mentioned in another thread you use a land line to make your calls. Perhaps when they call a land line, there is only one fee per call.

I haven't tried calling China with it but for Europe, USA, it's great. I have also called Japan with it and there were no problems. I don't know much about mobiles and how they charge but I don't understand how you would lose 50 Satang per minute if they are calling you back? You should only lose a Baht or two (whatever you are charged by your provider) for the 5 seconds you connect with them before they disconnect and call you back?

[lifeincnx]

Same here for MagicJack. Uses a lot less bandwidth than Skype with clear quality calls. Its great for US and Canada, but useless for Australia...

Dedicated local US phone number too to and from any Canadian or US mobile or land line. Been using it for years now.

[vagabond48]

Zay Hi is all I ever use.

http://www.zayhi.com/

0.95 THB per minute to Australia (rates change weekly/daily?). I call Switzerland, USA, U.K., Czech Republic, Germany, Spain often and have been using it for years. Great connection and cheap. They used to sell cards but I don't think they have cards anymore. They just give you a receipt with PIN code. You can buy 100, 300, 500, or 1000 THB. Good for about 6 months. Available at any Post Office. You can call a number and the computer calls you right back so you don't even incur a local charge.

Highly recommended.

I bought the ZayHi card and found it to be a hit and miss calling China. I use a mobile to call and use their call back but they charge a 1/2 baht per minute. I believe you mentioned in another thread you use a land line to make your calls. Perhaps when they call a land line, there is only one fee per call.

I haven't tried calling China with it but for Europe, USA, it's great. I have also called Japan with it and there were no problems. I don't know much about mobiles and how they charge but I don't understand how you would lose 50 Satang per minute if they are calling you back? You should only lose a Baht or two (whatever you are charged by your provider) for the 5 seconds you connect with them before they disconnect and call you back?

My wife calls China and the connection quality varies greatly.

This is what I read on their website. Unless I read it wrong, I assume if they call a mobile, they are charged as well or they use it as an excuse to tack on an additional 1/2B per minute. You actually don't get charged calling the call back number since you hang up after 1 ring.

Edited January 10, 2014 by vagabond48

[Torrens54]

People have no problem calling me on SKYPE from Australia but when I attempt to call them, I get ONE RING and the line drops out, I then get a message telling me I don't have any money in my SKYPE Account. I thought it was FREE....people who call me, say they never have to pay.

Any thoughts???????

[Ebenweb]

People have no problem calling me on SKYPE from Australia but when I attempt to call them, I get ONE RING and the line drops out, I then get a message telling me I don't have any money in my SKYPE Account. I thought it was FREE....people who call me, say they never have to pay.

Any thoughts???????

If you're calling phone numbers with Skype, that requires Skype credit--though still far cheaper than standard long distance calls. Calling people in your Skype directory ("Skype to Skype") is free.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand