So Merry X-mas everyone.
The turkey cooked and half eaten, a stone of weight has been put on. No studying has been done either. So much to do and so little time left. But nevermind lets get on to the point of cheap calls.
Having a large family living internationally, we do have to make a lot of calls abroad.
Calling abroad isnt always cheap so I have set up a little quide in how I have tried to cut the cost of calls.
Internet calling ( better know as VoIP) Voice over Internet Protocal. Using the internet to make a call. So it either using a computer or a phone and calling a phone of computer over the world wide web. There are numerous providers out there. The best known and probably the easiest to use (my thoughts) is Skype. I first stared using this nearly two years ago. And it is excellent for ringing the USA. I aranged a delivery of flowers using it.
Currently living away from the family I have increased relied on this to keep in contact with family back home.
With Skpe, the program is free to download. The inital cost is the cost of the internet access.If you call another skype user on line there is no connection or call charge here. If you however call a line line or mobile no. there is a charge and the charges are outlined on there price list on the web site.
On the pricing of Skype, they require you to set uo an account and add credit to it if you wish to call a land or mobile number. So it sort of like prepay. Now on the pricing list. When you top up. Skype charges VAT of 15%( so if you top up £10, it costs £11.50, further more when you are making the call the once again charge you VAT, Billing is per minute also. And calling mobile is always more expensive then landline.
In England, I have found using LEBaRA mobile, cheaper to make mobile calls back to Ireland.
The above example is where most VIoP fails. If you are ringing someone of a commputer, they will charge you and often I may be more expensive then others.
Also with VIoP you can get crackering and sudden dropped calls which is annoying, But provider have improved there service and the speed of internet access have improved in most places.
Another option is Prepayed International calling cards. There is a host of them in the market. And on a whole they are cheaper then dialling directly. But In my use I have then somewhat problematic in there use in Ireland. I have often not been able to get through on the access no. provided. If I do get through I can get a connection if I dial my international no. ( even though it connects fine if I dial directly). Finaly the promised minutes never materialised which is always annoying.
So I tend not to use these now.
If any of you readers do use Internation pre-payed call cards please let me know what you think about them.
Thank again
And Merry X-mas.
