Budget Travel - Ekit Phone Alternatives?

I don't travel outside North America much: say 2 weeks or less per year, on multiple trips. I have a U.S. mobile phone with its "have to be different" card technology, and I can't see upgrading for infrequent overseas use, plus pay high roaming charges. Maybe the highly advertised Mobal phone (or whatever it's called) is one solution, but I assume their per-minute charges are high compared to the landline service I currently use, Ekit (associated with Lonely Planet). That service charges around 5 to 7 cents per minute to call the U.S. from countries such as Singapore and the U.K., plus 59 cents per call if from a pay phone.

Key downsides to Ekit, I've discovered, are that you can't use the telephone keypad to enter followup numerals necessary to work phone trees at your destination number (such as when retrieving work voicemail, or following any automated system menu). Nor can you reach a toll-free number in the U.S., at least.

Has anyone found a better, comparably-priced product to Ekit, that works from most countries around the world? A pay-per-call owned cell phone (like Mobal) would be OK, but only if the per-minute rates (and add-ons) are very low. Renting a phone negates cost savings, and local phone cards are likely to go largely unused if you only make a few calls - plus there's the time taken in renting or buying those items. Any other ideas?

I don't travel outside North America much: say 2 weeks or less per year, on multiple trips. I have a U.S. mobile phone with its "have to be different" card technology, and I can't see upgrading for infrequent overseas use, plus pay high roaming charges. Maybe the highly advertised Mobal phone (or whatever it's called) is one solution, but I assume their per-minute charges are high compared to the landline service I currently use, Ekit (associated with Lonely Planet). That service charges around 5 to 7 cents per minute to call the U.S. from countries such as Singapore and the U.K., plus 59 cents per call if from a pay phone.

Key downsides to Ekit, I've discovered, are that you can't use the telephone keypad to enter followup numerals necessary to work phone trees at your destination number (such as when retrieving work voicemail, or following any automated system menu). Nor can you reach a toll-free number in the U.S., at least.

Has anyone found a better, comparably-priced product to Ekit, that works from most countries around the world? A pay-per-call owned cell phone (like Mobal) would be OK, but only if the per-minute rates (and add-ons) are very low. Renting a phone negates cost savings, and local phone cards are likely to go largely unused if you only make a few calls - plus there's the time taken in renting or buying those items. Any other ideas?

Try posting your question on this website, a UK board dedicated to getting the best value from phone calls:

www.saynoto0870.com

Be specific about which countries you visit and where you want to phone

I always found Ekit's rates to be high for the countries I travel to, so I've never actually used them.

I use a variety of providers in combination. Different providers offer different service in different countries and different rates.

I've had good success dialing touch tones to access automated systems using these services. I do also carry a little pocket touch-tone generator ($5-$10 from a Radio Shack-type store--I've had it for 10 years, though, so I don't know where to buy one now) which works even if you are stuck at some ancient rotary dial phone. To be honest, though, I haven't had to use my pocket dialer for years.

International Origin Calling Card/Dial-Through Providers
http://www.accuglobe.com (postpaid; $1/month in months with usage)
http://www.onesuite.com (prepaid)
http://www.callbackworld.com (postpaid; no monthly fee)
http://www.flextelone.com (postpaid; no monthly fee)
AT&T Prepaid Sam's club card (prepaid, rates tend to be higher, basically universal availability). Costco also has a card provided by MCI, I believe, but I've never used it.

If you can dial local/toll access numbers in a small number of countries:
http://www.dialnow.com (prepaid--low rates, limited availability, access not toll-free)

Good resource on international GSM services:
http://www.prepaidgsm.net