Travel Technology - Best way to call international on cell without int'l calling on my mobile phone

Hi folks,

I figure someone here would know this. I used to have a service called Gorilla Mobile. I would call and 800 number, then get another dial tone, then call my international number.

If I used Int'l right on my mobile it would be several bucks a minute - whereas with this one, places like the UK were $0.05/minute. Specifically I call Estonia a lot, and it seems to be very expensive to call there.

I dont know what this service is called (dial-around? International forwarding?) so I dont know what to Google for. Does anyone know a list of various services or could recommend one with a low price and good connection quality?

Thanks!

I signed up for Startec a few months ago for occasional int'l calls (you can use it at home or on your cell) and the prices and service seem reasonable. I liked it because there are no monthly fees, you just pay for what you use, and the per minute rates are cheap.

Not sure if there's anyone better.

http://www2.startec.com/US/EN/jsp/index.jsp

I have been using onesuite.com

You can register 3 phone numbers including your cell to call from so that their system will recognize and for which you will not need to enter an access call when dialing.

Basically you dial a local number and can attribute a 2 digits number for up to 50 frequently called numbers... so it goes XXX-XXXX (local) 10# (number you are calling) and that is it!!! cost is now 0.025 ct +/- Used to be cheaper but the convenience of all the shortcuts is worth it.

You only buy as many minutes as you need. They last 6 months and can be revived with new minutes.

onesuite +1

makes sure you just dial a LOCAL dial in number from your mobile, since the domestic LD on your mobile is most likely free.

Makes calls about .05$ cheaper per minute.

I use this ALL the time to call UK, Germany, France, switz, hong kong, china, japan, scandinavia.

Nice thing too, is the speed dial address book feature. Just setup the numbers you call and make a little list #10 is dad while in tokyo, etc.

Another Onesuite.com user here and I love their rates plus those features like pinless dialing and online access of your account. I am saving about $15 a month since I switched to Onesuite and their call quality is very good.

I found out that they are giving 10% sign up amount bonus this April and you just need to put the promo code PHPROMO on the sign up form to get the bonus right away. I might just use up my remaining balance and sign up for a new account before the end of April :)

Skype also has a similar feature, and I use a program called iSkoot on my blackberry and PDA

Have a look at www.yakamerica.com

Skype also has a similar feature, and I use a program called iSkoot on my blackberry and PDA

Can you tell us more re how skype workslike onesuite?

Can you tell us more re how skype workslike onesuite?

http://skype.com/allfeatures/togo/
Skype to go. Its I think $3/month. You get any access number in the world (I have a Polish local landline number for me here. You can change it every month or so) Call that local number and if it recognizes your number theres no PIN, if not theres a PIN. You can preset some speed dials, or dial your own number and it uses rates whatever it would cost you to skype out. So for me its $3/month for the number + 3cents/min to the USA. Theres a small connection fee. USA its 3.9cents
iSkoot is very similar but its a program you install on your phone. You need internet though. You log onto your skype account and just dial a number there, it finds local access numbers in the country your in and skype out on that. Basically cutting out that $3/month.

You get the Skype pro package. Also gives you voicemail on Skype, and a nice discount on a local skype in number.
Also it gives you free USA calling, but I'm not sure it that applies to the Skype to Go

Basically I have my phone set up like so...

Someone in the USA wants to call me
Vonage # -> Skype in USA number ->Polish/int'l cell
Rings on Vonage for 15sec before it continues its transfer to my Polish cell, so I can get the phone at home if I'm at home.
or
Skype in # -> cell
The number I tell close friends/family when they just need to get a hold of me.

Calling back to the USA
iSkoot/Skype to go number -> USA number I'm calling

If I'm traveling, then I just forward it to the cell I would be traveling with.

Also, since I use Skype on my PC a bit, it all pools the money from the same account. No need for having to pay multiple companies.

But skype is a voip only service right? Onesuite is like a hybrid of sort with phone card and voip service in one account. I also compared Onesuite rates to Skype and Onesuite has a lower rates on most countries.

Onesuite +3

John

Onesuite + 4

My usage: Onesuite for international calling and Skype in and out for domestic.

u can also try nobelcom.com. i ve been using their pin-less dialing prepaid card and happy with it. again just make sure u use thelocal access number and not 800 number

Specifically I call Estonia a lot, and it seems to be very expensive to call there.
I use iconnecthere.com (http://www.iconnecthere.com). They have an 800 access number in the US, plus local access numbers in some 25 or 30 countries.

Rate to Estonia is 6.6 cents/min to landline, and something like 45 cents to mobile phones.

I also use voipdiscount (http://www.voipdiscount.com), which also has an 800 number, and their rates to Estonia are 0.9 cents/min landline and about 34 cents to a mobile phone. These voip[discount, stunt, cheap] operations have been very reliable.

Right now I am using mobiletalk from Packet8. Service is ok if you are just an occassional users. No monthly fee and is pay as you go. Couple downside is I believe it only works if you have a smartphone (windows mobile, palm OS, symbian and Blackberry) and sometimes I need to make couple tries to get connected.

http://mobiletalk.packet8.net/

Onesuite + 4


Onesuite +5, nearly 5 years running

Onesuite +5, nearly 5 years running

I guess Onesuite +6 is next?

I've been fairly new Onesuite.com user, just about a year and so far I get very good service.

I've begun using Future-Nine (http://www.future-nine.com).
You can use it as a calling card by dialing in via US number. Rates are extremely competitive.

Other places to consider:
Callbackworld.com
enlinea.com
flextelone.com

I must check out onesuite then! Seems to be popular!

When I am in the US from the UK I call home using a T-Mobile PAYG with a Sprint calling card.

After trying a few calling cards Sprint was best as I always call UK mobiles and other calling cards charged a premium to call a UK Mobile but Sprint didn't and it is 6c/min back to the UK (plus 10c to call the 1800 on the US Mobile).

I like the quick dial convenience of onesuite though so will take a look fgor my next trip.

Rich

onesuite sounds great but it looks like it's mainly (only?) for US customers, right?