Normalizing the Really Long Distance Relationship

[Scafidi454 22]

I don't know how many other people prefer this to Skype, but for me this has been a great service. For the first 10 months of our separation (time away from each other, divided by countries and oceans), we used a combination of Skype and calling cards. She could Skype me, and I could call her. However, problems seemed to arise when I'd call just to ask if she wanted to talk or not. Because she couldn't call me when she had time (i.e. not on the metro, not in a meeting, etc.), me being the only one able to call was becoming a problem.

I began searching for solutions to this. Many people recommended VOiP services, which would be great, except internet calls are low-quality; even lower if those calls are made from Russian carriers on an old Nokia E71. I wanted to find a way for her and I to be able to pick up the phone and dial a number as if we were in the same locale.

I spent hours, days, and weeks researching and testing different services. I compared rates per minute, month, etc. to find the best-value for our needs.

I came across this website, TollFreeForwarding, I have to say that this has been the best solution for us so far. We argue a lot less, because she can call me when she is free. I can call her using JaJah local access numbers. The TollFreeForwarding line for her to call me is pretty expensive ($60/month for 350 minutes (approximately $0.17/minute)). However, the JaJah calls are only about $0.09/minute (low average compared to most calling cards or plans).

I even prevented the renewal of my cell phone contract with my local carrier here and bought two unlocked GSM Nokia E71s (one for me, one for her (she had wanted the E71 for some time, and I liked it)). I found a pre-paid GSM carrier, which used to give me unlimited international text messaging and $20/month international calling included. However, I'm in the process of switching pre-paid carriers because the one I started with, H2O Wireless, no longer offers unlimited international text messaging and only $10/month of calling time now (approximately one hour to Russian mobiles).

We also use Skype at every opportunity. However, she does not have internet access right now in her newly moved into apartment, and her computer is on its last leg. The video card is about to give out (it was having real problems when I was in Moscow). Anyway, we're close to the end now, but I wanted to let anyone else who was looking for a good solution to the calling challenges.

Thank You,

Scafidi454

Edited January 7, 2012 by Scafidi454

[thedetroiter 0]

I tried yahoo msg video calls an regular calls and thy seemed 2 hv pretty good quality especially over the phone card.. I called from my mobile phone incurring huge pe minute costs. The best solution I hv found is majic jack. Although it has some isues I like usng it and we can talk for hours.. the only drawback mayb if you are limited in your minutes on ur plan as it uses thoses until you have free minutes

[ffp 2]

All I can say she can send you a SMS on phone when she is free and you can call her with calling card. The rates for mobile and land line is cheap 5.3¢ for cell phone call and 1.3¢ land line in Moscow

This is best solution if she have no internet.

If she would have Internet you could buy magicjack or magicjack plus and send it to her (You might need send the phone too as they use rotary phone system) Also possible to use google voice but I never try it. When I visit my Fiancee I left a MJ so she can call me on any US phone (Except it better for me to call her as MJ have hidden limit on outgoing call and if they think you abuse system the cut it off and you can not make calls but you can receive them)

Note: the calling card is Mega Clean and Stable

Edited January 7, 2012 by ffp

[Scafidi454 22]

I tried yahoo msg video calls an regular calls and thy seemed 2 hv pretty good quality especially over the phone card.. I called from my mobile phone incurring huge pe minute costs. The best solution I hv found is majic jack. Although it has some isues I like usng it and we can talk for hours.. the only drawback mayb if you are limited in your minutes on ur plan as it uses thoses until you have free minutes

Or, you're confined to your computer..... You cannot use it with any telephone....

All I can say she can send you a SMS on phone when she is free and you can call her with calling card. The rates for mobile and land line is cheap 5.3¢ for cell phone call and 1.3¢ land line in Moscow

This is best solution if she have no internet.

If she would have Internet you could buy magicjack or magicjack plus and send it to her (You might need send the phone too as they use rotary phone system) Also possible to use google voice but I never try it. When I visit my Fiancee I left a MJ so she can call me on any US phone (Except it better for me to call her as MJ have hidden limit on outgoing call and if they think you abuse system the cut it off and you can not make calls but you can receive them)

Note: the calling card is Mega Clean and Stable

She can send me SMS messages, but they're expensive. What is it that she can use to SMS for only 5.3 cents?

[Scafidi454 22]

Or, you're confined to your computer..... You cannot use it with any telephone....

She can send me SMS messages, but they're expensive. What is it that she can use to SMS for only 5.3 cents?

That phone card is only good in the US

[Scafidi454 22]

Even if I do the phone card, it's still what I was trying to get away from. I went through about 50 or 100 phone cards. Now, I can just dial a regular phone number from my phone. There's no pin or waiting to enter (i.e. direct dialing). I prefer it this way. I've did the phone card thing for about a year. I have moved away from that because it generally takes anywhere from 1 - 5 minutes to make a call using that. And, with the reception that she sometimes has right before she goes into the metro or something, if a call drops that 1 - 5 minutes has to happen again and again. Essentially, I've spent 30 minutes trying to have a 5 minute conversation.

[ffp 2]

The thing is if she have Internet and computer then there is a lot of ways to do.

But in your case she does not have Internet and you guys soon should get NOA2 (I hope)

With calling card you do not need enter number and her phone number as you can make speed dial list as well pin not needed after you setup calling card. It also good evidence to proof ongoing relation ship as it show logs of phone calls.

Note: Cellphone sms should not be super expensive.. Unfortunatly there no easy/cheap solution. Not much things to tell you as you close to NOA2. I do not see any other solution beside you call and use calling card.

Sorry I can not provide you with solution

[Scafidi454 22]

I'm not looking for a better solution right now. I just made this post for others who may need a solution. The phone cards I had before wouldn't keep call logs. However, the services that I'm using now does.

[LnS 1]

Hi thanks for posting that info. The JaJah thing looks promising. I think I'll give it a try.

[Hank_ 9,174]

- to others.

I have the MJ and tried the MJ+ but returned them as I had too many issues (and I am a bit of a geek), the old MJ works good but of course needs a computer. What I have now is the OBI 110 which works with Google Voice and works excellent, you can use them OBI to OBI without Google Voice as they have built in "numbers" and it all free (and google voice is still free for 2012). The OBIs are like $50 each and no computer required to use them.

I am setting this system up mostly for after Amy is here so she can call home and talk any time she wants even if we are out she can use her cell phone as the number will be local, plus they can call anytime they want using a regular phone plugged into the OBI, and the cool thing with Google Voice is you can have it setup to ring on a variety of phone numbers all at the same time so no matter where you are you will get the call without having to deal with forwarding (USA side only). The OBI does NOT need a computer, just needs to plug into a router. Extremely easy to setup as well, so far I am very impressed with the OBI as it interacts with Google Voice very easily and the voice quality is excellent.

For right now Amy and I use Skype and have predetermined times that we talk as her work limits her time. We used Yahoo for a time but Skype has much better video quality and options. Of course everything is tied to needing internet.

[sofya 10]

Why won't you guys also choose a good time on weekends to chat on skype? That way you both will know that you have to be available (now, if one of you doesn't want to be available at an agreed-upon time, that's a different story). Also, have you tried gchat and other messaging clients? They are ridiculously cheap on Russian mobile internet. My husband and I spent 2 years communicating constantly through gchat on our phones during the working days, and I used 3G heavily on my Nokia for other needs, but I never really had to pay more than $20 per month for my cell phone usage. Tell your beneficiary to switch to Beeline, their internet service is amazing both in large and in smaller cities.

[FilH 0]

I don't know how many other people prefer this to Skype, but for me this has been a great service. For the first 10 months of our separation (time away from each other, divided by countries and oceans), we used a combination of Skype and calling cards. She could Skype me, and I could call her. However, problems seemed to arise when I'd call just to ask if she wanted to talk or not. Because she couldn't call me when she had time (i.e. not on the metro, not in a meeting, etc.), me being the only one able to call was becoming a problem.

Thank You,

Scafidi454

I bought the unlimited international plan from Skype which allowed me to make unlimited calls to any phone including cell phones. Thankfully Thailand was included in the plan while many European countries were not regarding cell phones. I could could call her cell phone and talk as long as we wanted as often as we wanted. That also gave us a record of the calls with her phone number on it. The plan was only $14.95 per month. I bought three months at a time for a slight discount.

[southcalhog 43]

We use MJ also and the calls are of good Quality! However we use Yahoo Messenger for Video calls and for us the video is crystal Clear and in HD and the Voice calling is during the video is very good, we hear and see each other very well!

[Scafidi454 22]

Why won't you guys also choose a good time on weekends to chat on skype? That way you both will know that you have to be available (now, if one of you doesn't want to be available at an agreed-upon time, that's a different story). Also, have you tried gchat and other messaging clients? They are ridiculously cheap on Russian mobile internet. My husband and I spent 2 years communicating constantly through gchat on our phones during the working days, and I used 3G heavily on my Nokia for other needs, but I never really had to pay more than $20 per month for my cell phone usage. Tell your beneficiary to switch to Beeline, their internet service is amazing both in large and in smaller cities.

She has Beeline, but the call reception isn't always that great when we talk (usually after her work or when she's at home, and she's in bad reception areas). We don't have the same days off. I usually work on the weekends because I'm in school a few days during the week. She gets the weekends off. Then, we have to take into account the time that we have to spend with our families.

P.S. We cannot get Google Voice on the E71s, only GChat (from the browser) and/or Skype, which hasn't been very successful. Even so, with the options I've packaged, I can pick up any phone and call her from anywhere, and vise versa for her.

[thedetroiter 0]

@southcalhog how do you plan 2 show phone records from mj?? I was only going to take the proof (or show I sent something via dhl) but all the calls are 2 a us based number... I would think the co are up2date with different modes of communicating when u are trying 2 save monies