Phoning Overseas From Los

[simon43]

I just got my last phone bill for my UK phone. Seems I'm runing up huge bills by calling from LoS back to the UK everyday (OK, I realised that international roaming etc was not cheap, but I didn't realise just how much money I had spent!)

What is a cheaper solution fo someone who makes lots of international calls from LoS?

Can anyone comment on the following:

1 - Using a Thai mobile network SIM (and if so, which network and package is the cheapest?)

2 - Calling from my apartment landline (although this is usally tied up by my PC conected to the internet)

3 - Using one of the Voice over IP solutions and 'calling' via my PC

4 - ???

Any advice mucho appreciated

Simon

[ChiangMaiThai]

Land line to UK has just gotten much cheaper. I believe in the 10 baht a minute range. When my 'DSL' has actually worked I use GloPhone. You get a US phone number and so if you call the UK you pay for int call, but their rates are 4 cents a minute to land lines and 20 cents a minute to mobiles. So a good deal. The sound quality is very impressive and much better than any others I have tried. The problem, of course is finding reliable ADSL. If you're in BKK, great. If not, its going to take some devine intervention. You need consistent 150-200Kbps for quality sound.

[bonsaimax]

Simon,

Try those int'l prepaid phonecards available at 7-eleven like PhoneNet or ThaiCard and compare the costs. You can call from any phone (incl. pay phones).

[JJDinsay]

I use Dialpad from here to US it's something like .0037 per minute. I can chat and shoot the bull for an hour instead of rushing. But bear in mind that you get what you pay for - maybe an echo, maybe not. I have a friend who used voice over MSN messenger and another used Yahoo voice with just as much success. Thing is you might need some kind of broadband connection for Yahoo and MSN but for Dialpad, I noticed that the network activity wasn't that much.

[valentinoxxx]

As far as I know, all of the three Thai network's prepaid schemes cost around the same. Certainly for Dprompt and Orange the rates are thus; rates. I'm not sure if VAT is added.

e-fone details

DTAC's offering; HappyDprompt is a good allrounder. 3 baht International SMS, with domestic calls costing around 2.5 baht per minute nationwide.

[george]

Try this:

Cheap calling

[weescotsguy66]

Try using CAT telecom whether you are using a mobile 009 before each call then 44 or 001 and I believe it is 81 then 44 for a land line but not too sure on the latter but check with them first. Also if your using a condo line it always different

They will automatically bill you from your telephone provider...

Cost for Uk is 12 baht (18 of those horrible English pennies) a minute

[email protected] if you have any problems

[manfromoz]

Buy a VOIP telephone. The hardware cost is a little high, but the rate to the UK is about 2 baht per min (depending on exchange rate, the calls are actually billed in USD). Some of the handsets are very echoy, bu the one I have is very clear quality and no echo. You don't need a computer, just a telephone line and an internet account (which you already have as you use your computer to access the internet).

If you want details of the type of handset to use let me know.

[Kringle]

Check out Skype.com This is fine if you get the other people in your network to use it. I've got to go with an upgrade on my computer but will get that soon. I just seem to be having some kind of soundcard problems or something with the system I have now.

[sbk]

CAT's efone for overseas from a landline is 001-809+country code+phone number. Last months bill was 12 b/min to the UK, 8 b/min to the US, 12 b/min to Aus.

[bkk_mike]

Assuming it's really the roaming cost of using a UK mobile here (extortionate), just get a Thai phone. And since it's CAT that sets the international rates, they all cost much the same for International calls. (so you really just need to compare the local call costs, and any monthly charges)

The line quality is usually better with a mobile than with a land line (!!), particularly if you have a hands-free kit (earpiece, etc.)

CAT overseas call rates are at http://web2.cattelecom.co.th/fc4b1ac018d83...eserviceen.html

i.e. To call the UK is 14 baht a minute using the standard +44. Quite a bit cheaper than the cost of a roamed call on a UK mobile.

[pcmuk]

Try using PC to Phone calls with Nikotel , i've been using this service for several months now and it's very reliable and good quality assuming you have a minimum 45000bps connexion :Calls to USA ,UK,France,Norway,Sweden for only US$ 0.029/mn and US$ 0.126/mn if your friends want to call you in BKK!!! Download the free softphone or best ,buy a VoIP phone for top quality...

Nikotel

Pascal

[valentinoxxx]

Assuming it's really the roaming cost of using a UK mobile here (extortionate), just get a Thai phone. And since it's CAT that sets the international rates, they all cost much the same for International calls. (so you really just need to compare the local call costs, and any monthly charges)

The line quality is usually better with a mobile than with a land line (!!), particularly if you have a hands-free kit (earpiece, etc.)

CAT overseas call rates are at http://web2.cattelecom.co.th/fc4b1ac018d83...eserviceen.html

i.e. To call the UK is 14 baht a minute using the standard +44. Quite a bit cheaper than the cost of a roamed call on a UK mobile.

The site is a little confusing, providing differing costs for efone selecting 'comparison'(000009) than are shown by selecting 'efone'(000006) alone.