Best Value Way to Call Russia?

[slim 1,523]

I don't know how much you guys are calling, but unless you're on the line for several hours a day, debating whether a call is 4 cents or 8 cents a minute or whatever is kind of silly. The value of something that cheap is going to be in the quality. It's worth the extra few cents to get better quality or convenience.

It's kind of like driving past the gas station on your side of the street to hit one on the opposite side because you save 3 cents/gallon. Wooo, even with your big truck you just saved 90 cents. You're truly a value conscious individual.

And a little advice for all of you out there talking to your S/O for hours and hours several times a day..... stop. She'll be here soon enough and you'll wish you had all that personal time back. Use it while you've got it! Trust me!

[Brad and Vika 129]

I don't know how much you guys are calling, but unless you're on the line for several hours a day, debating whether a call is 4 cents or 8 cents a minute or whatever is kind of silly. The value of something that cheap is going to be in the quality. It's worth the extra few cents to get better quality or convenience.

It's kind of like driving past the gas station on your side of the street to hit one on the opposite side because you save 3 cents/gallon. Wooo, even with your big truck you just saved 90 cents. You're truly a value conscious individual.

And a little advice for all of you out there talking to your S/O for hours and hours several times a day..... stop. She'll be here soon enough and you'll wish you had all that personal time back. Use it while you've got it! Trust me!

Since I guess that last post was sort of directed at me, I'll respond. I always appreciate advice from those further along in the process, and we all have different preferences and personalities. I don't call Vika every day, but we do talk for hours sometimes on the weekends. We are also in contact daily by email and text. I like the contact, and I think it helps us to stay connected. If some one else wants to fill out K-1 paperwork and have less or no contact at all until their fiance' comes to America (on her own), that is their business. GS-1 does a pretty good job with clear connections, and I think that no connection or maintenance fees is an important attribute. I also think that six to twelve cents a minute is a much better rate than some of the others I see posted, and the process of calling is easy. Again, if you think calling, or talking a long time is stupid or pointless then you don't need a card - your business. All I wanted was to know if there is a better phone deal out there.

[slim 1,523]

My comments are directed to everyone and basically boiled down to two points.

1. Trying to find a good deal on calling overseas is a good idea but debating whether to switch from this card to that or this plan to that one in order to save 4 cents a minute is silly and if it's not silly, then you're talking way too much.

2. I'll agree that the amount of time you spend talking to your S/O and the frequency you call each other is your business. But, once again, if you're talking to the point of needing to save a few cents per minute, you're talking way too much as your separate lives are going to end up causing problems for one another.

I'm not telling anyone out there to stop calling their S/O or to change what they're doing. That's your business. But, I'll tell you, in the years that I've been here on VJ I've seen a few "busted up" K-1s over "she didn't call me back" or "he was supposed to e-mail me" or something like that. It starts off innocently enough, "we always call each other before bed" and turns into "he didn't call me because he was hanging out with his cousin who has a hot roommate and they ended up fooling around" and before long we see the dreaded, "cancelled interview" post.

You should stay in touch with your S/O, but not to the point that it's a budgeting decision because of the frequency.

[Neonred 3,553]

Slim is spending $240 a year for unlimited calling to Russian landlines.

Several of us are paying $48 a year for unlimited calling to Russian landlines.

It's just a silly and insignificant difference and not a reason to consider changing plans....

[Brad and Vika 129]

My comments are directed to everyone and basically boiled down to two points.

1. Trying to find a good deal on calling overseas is a good idea but debating whether to switch from this card to that or this plan to that one in order to save 4 cents a minute is silly and if it's not silly, then you're talking way too much.

2. I'll agree that the amount of time you spend talking to your S/O and the frequency you call each other is your business. But, once again, if you're talking to the point of needing to save a few cents per minute, you're talking way too much as your separate lives are going to end up causing problems for one another.

I'm not telling anyone out there to stop calling their S/O or to change what they're doing. That's your business. But, I'll tell you, in the years that I've been here on VJ I've seen a few "busted up" K-1s over "she didn't call me back" or "he was supposed to e-mail me" or something like that. It starts off innocently enough, "we always call each other before bed" and turns into "he didn't call me because he was hanging out with his cousin who has a hot roommate and they ended up fooling around" and before long we see the dreaded, "cancelled interview" post.

You should stay in touch with your S/O, but not to the point that it's a budgeting decision because of the frequency.

Dude - you crack me up It sounds like you are saying that "You don't have to restrict your calling, but the relationship might fail if you don't" I think more relationships fail because people don't communicate enough. All off the subject. I agree that a few cents probably doesn't matter much, other than the principle, but with any card the maintenance and connection fees can make the card itself a waste. The point of my post was just to see what is out there. I found out on VJ how to SMS on the Kyivstar website recently, and I was totally unaware that I could (and it saves twenty cents per SMS!!! ). I never know what I can learn if I don't put the question out there. And some other folks might actually care about the card that I found, and benefit from that. Again, you never know.

[slim 1,523]

Slim is spending $240 a year for unlimited calling to Russian landlines.

Several of us are paying $48 a year for unlimited calling to Russian landlines.

It's just a silly and insignificant difference and not a reason to consider changing plans....

Actually, I think I'm paying more than that but it includes calls to mobile phones as well. My wife buys a $9 card every couple of weeks. Some months it's only one (or none) some months it's like four. Either way, that $240 figure is probably pretty close. Now that I think about it, she doesn't really call that much anymore so it's probably significantly less. But, when she first got here... man! We were getting phone cards about twice a week, all different kinds. She found the one she's using now (Crazy USA) and was pretty happy with this one so she's been using it since. She maybe uses one or two a month now.

But.... until you can find me a $48 solution to calling mobile phones, it does me no good.

I never know what I can learn if I don't put the question out there. And some other folks might actually care about the card that I found, and benefit from that. Again, you never know.

Absolutely!

[Jolie Melusine 0]

I buy cards here: http://www.russianseattle.com/bestcard/krazeminutes.htm

I call from my cellphone (AT&T). I use local numbers (here is the list: http://www.russianseattle.com/bestcard/ale...cal_access.htm) for my calls 'cause my friend had "nice" experience, far from being free, with their "toll-free" numbers - she got extra bills fro using them.

The quality of sound is really good and my mom is happy that I call her more often now.

Edited July 22, 2008 by Jolie Melusine

[bobb 0]

People want different things from phone cards. 1 size does not fit all. I'm happy with Nobel.com and a phone card from waytorussia.com. Nobel.com does not have record of calls available, waytorussia does have a card that does this. They both have landline cards and cell phone cards, pinless dialing (if not using both a cell and landline card), automatic recharge option, etc. I look for a low or no monthly fee and call quality. I've had great call quality with both companie's cards calling to Izhevsk, Russia. I even use these cards to call long distance in the U.S. as I don't have a cell phone.