The cheapest international call

[David-and-Mae 15]

Hello my VJ family! I'm sorry if this topic has been brought up. I tried searching but to no avail. Do you have any suggestions on this one? I have been using call cards to call my family in the PI but that darn card is robbing us blind. The minute you started dialing even their 1-800, it's charging me up already. A $5 worth call card is supposed to last an hour and a half but I can only enjoy a 30 mins talk. When I'm down to $1 balance on it, it's not allowing me to call international anymore. After 2 weeks, that balance is forfeited. Isn't it cheating? I'm aware that call cards are good for one time calling to make the most of it, but it's so hard to get a connection and before I could get a hold of my family, the balance on it is not sufficient at all because like I said, it charges up right when you dial the number, whether you get through the connection or not. We're thinking about direct calling from our landline to PI but it's way too expensive using our own provider.

Can you give me some help and ideas on what to use? Thanks all and have a good rest of the week.

--Mae

[jayzar 1]

Our $5 fonkard lasts half an hour.

You can try Direct Line Phils or DLP, powered by Pioneer Communications. Its a pre-paid kind of system, like using fonkards. try google it, and search more info on their site. They even offer call details and call log. Which you wouldn't have if you are using call cards.

Or on the other hand, your family can call you for as low as Php3 per minute using PLDT bugdet card. Their Php100 lasts for 33 minutes, no cheats.

hope this helps.

jyz

[john_and_marlene 162]

Hello my VJ family! I'm sorry if this topic has been brought up. I tried searching but to no avail. Do you have any suggestions on this one? I have been using call cards to call my family in the PI but that darn card is robbing us blind. The minute you started dialing even their 1-800, it's charging me up already. A $5 worth call card is supposed to last an hour and a half but I can only enjoy a 30 mins talk. When I'm down to $1 balance on it, it's not allowing me to call international anymore. After 2 weeks, that balance is forfeited. Isn't it cheating? I'm aware that call cards are good for one time calling to make the most of it, but it's so hard to get a connection and before I could get a hold of my family, the balance on it is not sufficient at all because like I said, it charges up right when you dial the number, whether you get through the connection or not. We're thinking about direct calling from our landline to PI but it's way too expensive using our own provider.

Can you give me some help and ideas on what to use? Thanks all and have a good rest of the week.

--Mae

I have never found an international calling card that didn't cheat on the minutes.

Here are some possible solutions:

1. If they have broadband internet, get a vonage account (something like $25 unlimited US and Canada) and ship it to them to connect on thier broadband. You will call the US number and talk unlimited.

2. http://www.pinoycalls.com/ <- flat fee unlimited solution

3. Check with your carrier to see if they offer an international plan or consider switching phone carriers. I have my telephone through the cable company and we pay 12 cents/min to Philippines landlines and the billing is accurate.

4. Look at http://www.gorillamobile.com/ <- 13 cents landline / 19 cents mobile

[BJZags 17]

4. Look at http://www.gorillamobile.com/ <- 13 cents landline / 19 cents mobile

I like gorillamobile. It may not be the cheapest, but it gives a clear connection and doesn't drop calls like a lot of the other calling card services.

[jayzar 1]

Yep vonage is also good. Have a friend who have it. You can insist the operator/sales agent to get intial 1-3 mos free. yet you still have to pay for the device and its delivery here in PI.

Good Luck on your search!

[rjp44 1]

Hello my VJ family! I'm sorry if this topic has been brought up. I tried searching but to no avail. Do you have any suggestions on this one? I have been using call cards to call my family in the PI but that darn card is robbing us blind. The minute you started dialing even their 1-800, it's charging me up already. A $5 worth call card is supposed to last an hour and a half but I can only enjoy a 30 mins talk. When I'm down to $1 balance on it, it's not allowing me to call international anymore. After 2 weeks, that balance is forfeited. Isn't it cheating? I'm aware that call cards are good for one time calling to make the most of it, but it's so hard to get a connection and before I could get a hold of my family, the balance on it is not sufficient at all because like I said, it charges up right when you dial the number, whether you get through the connection or not. We're thinking about direct calling from our landline to PI but it's way too expensive using our own provider.

Can you give me some help and ideas on what to use? Thanks all and have a good rest of the week.

--Mae

I've had good luck with a phone card from www.ppoutlet.com They don't show the cheapest rates but they are pretty honest in their minutes. You could also look at Skype phone.

[mikeandlani 0]

if your family has a PLDT landline, why not use the budget cards instead? that's what we use. mike buys them online and sends me the PIN so i can do the calling. its way cheaper too! our $45 worth of budget cards equal to 67 hours worth of talk time.

if they have broadband internet, i heard vonage and skype are great as well. we haven't used it though. we just use Google talk or Yahoo Messenger...stingy, aren't we?

[rjp44 1]

if your family has a PLDT landline, why not use the budget cards instead? that's what we use. mike buys them online and sends me the PIN so i can do the calling. its way cheaper too! our $45 worth of budget cards equal to 67 hours worth of talk time.

if they have broadband internet, i heard vonage and skype are great as well. we haven't used it though. we just use Google talk or Yahoo Messenger...stingy, aren't we?

LOL. We do the same and I don't think it's being cheap. We both have good incomes but decided to spend very little on phone calls Not only have my typing skills improved with all the messenger chatting, but thanks to that and the free talking, there's money in the bank for the start of our lives together.

[David-and-Mae 15]

My family doesn't have a landline nor internet at home, just cellphone. I have been trying to make them call me using PLDT budget card (since that's what I used to call my husband when I was still in the PI) but the nearest PLDT booth there is at the mall, 2 jeepney rides from home, which is very incovenient for them. That's why we're looking for a way for me to call them on a regular basis without being robbed blindly. Call cards are cheaters, of that I'm sure. I guess I'll start with calling our provider here. Our phone, internet connection and cable are all in one package. Maybe they can help us with adding another feature, which is international calling that is not so expensive.

Thanks for all the help guys!

--Mae

[Steve_Donna 0]

I go through http://www.ppldt.net .

I currently pay 17 cents when calling a mobile number and 14.5 cents when calling a land line. Plus you can print your call records which can be used as evidence.

[sofia2009 1]

I use Pingo.com...16cents for mobile and 14cents for landline..you can get free $5 for signing up..Try it..No need to use phone cards..Just register the number you need to use calling P.I..It works for me pretty good!

[joy&maryjoy 0]

try this: http://www.infinicom.us/terms.html

sorry, it only works on landline

Edited January 17, 2008 by joy&maryjoy

[Leedah 22]

Rebtel is the only one that I know of that will give you 10 free minutes to start and also only charges 0.13cents landline and 0.15cents mobile. They also will give you a $20 credit just for signing up.

That is all I use because they let you print your phone records, have no dropped calls, clear connection and even provide a local number for the person abroad to call you back for free (costing you nothing).

Anyway, I would recommend them over a phone card ANY day.

Peace

[Jasman0717 9]

yahoo messenger has voice now. I used to chat with my friend in CDO all the time using it. Of course you both need Internet and Messenger and a microphone

[raquel_1208 1]

I suggest your family should apply for smart broadband internet. Its a wireless internet and uses antenna on the top of the roof to get a connection. It costs 1,000 pesos for installation fee and 999 pesos per month for unlimited use of internet. They have lots of base stations scattered all over the philippines. Applicant should just bring his or her passport or any valid id and pay the installation fee to the nearest smart center and after 3 days people from smart would come and install it. I am in a remote area so cable internet is not accessible but thanks to smart I can go online 24/7. I use yahoo voice to call my husband's cellphone in california and my sister in texas and it only costs me 1 cents per minute. So if you convert that in pesos, it only costs me 40 cents per minute for my US calls. I think Globe has wireless internet too but its only available in Luzon.