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Calling USA to UK daily, most efficient way? (if new to a smartphone! -Whatsapp etc) |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 266
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Calling USA to UK daily, most efficient way? (if new to a smartphone! -Whatsapp etc)
Here is the situation:
My friend is going away to USA to study, leaving her mum who she will want to phone everyday, in a cost effective way. So I am asking here for advise on the best way for the daughter (in the US) to keep daily contact with the mum (in UK) via telephone. ---------- the daughter has a smartphone (which has whats app/ viber etc on which is on contract. the mum has a basic old nokia phone, which isn't a smartphone, and the mum and hasn't really had a smartphone ever. The mum has never really used a smart phone, never used whatsap or viber, but can be taught to her in these few weeks. Edit added: The mums property has wifi ---------- Does this below solution seem a good all round solution, for them to keep in touch daily, from a cost effective way? Buy the mum a basic smartphone (lets say samsung), Samsung Galaxy Ace for example, from ebay, with these specs: - on Pay as you go, - Insert a sim card in it, - she can download Whats app, and viber and the mum and daughter can communicate on viber and whats app/ free calls between each other. it would be a basic smart phone, as the mum would like to start basic, and would have to be taught the basics, but it will mainly be used for calling. Say from searches like these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sa..._ipg=200&rt=nc they do not want to get a new contract smartphone for the mum, but just a basic smartphone, unlocked too. The mother also doesn't have a notepad, and has no laptop/computer, so phone will be the only way to communicate. They do NOT want to use their current phone contract (o2, ee or which ever they are on) to call internationally direct (on daughters smartphone contract) and mum doesn't want to use her BT landline to call the states Can any UK sim do, to be used for this type of smartphone? (unlocked Samsung Galaxy from ebay) - £50- £70 which have the number on the outside of the sim package? (which you can buy from a mobile phone shop for £1) or in the USA the daughter buy a local phone there, to top up from there, and call the uk? (would that turn out to be more expensive?) - anybody been to the USA and called the UK often ?? |
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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Posts: 279
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The cheapest way would be for the mum to get a smart phone or computer and utilise one of the many IP based communication methods. There's FaceTime, WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, probably several others that I can't think of right now!
If the mum is against changing her phone then the daughter could get a US Sim card with a tariff that includes international calling. www.straighttalk.com offers an unlimited international calling plan. Skype also allows IP calling. The daughter could then use the app do dial the UK number and it would appear as a normal voice call to the mum's phone. Skype does a package that allows 400 mins to mobiles and landlines from the app for £6 a month or £10.80 for unlimited. Link for Skype calling: https://secure.skype.com/en/calling-...&expo365=empty |
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 116
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Old school
There's an old school way of doing this that would probably work well, even on an old nokia handset.
1. Create a Skype account for her mum, add "auto top up" and then add the mum's mobile number to the "skype to go" service 2. On the Nokia, create a new phonebook entry with the number stored like this: 0208XXXXXXXp001YYYYYYYYYY Where the 0208 number is the skype to go access number and 0001YYYY is the daughter's USA number. When she dials it from the nokia phone, it will call the London skype access number out of inclusive minutes, then wait (that's the P bit) by which time Skype to go will have recognised the calling mobile and associated it with a skype account. The nokia will then "send" the second number and it will connect to the phone in the US. This will cost a few pence a minute all in - and can also be done with other calling card services as well as skype. IDT used to do a reliable one. |
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,728
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I used Straight Talk in the US, worked really well as far as I was concerned. Picked up the SIM on arrival at a Wal-Mart
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 87
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You can use an Android phone (or tablet) without a Sim. It would connect via Mum's wifi and she could keep her phone as a 'phone.'
If it seems complicated, then Nova launcher could be added (or others) just to leave the Skype/Whatsapp (?) icon on the front screen. I've got a couple of senior people on tablets. Once they figure which bit of finger needs to do the touching ( and after cutting their nails for the ladies) they find it very simple. Or set up a Skype account for Mum, then add Call Forwarding. Incoming Skype calls wil be forwarded to her landline at 1.8p per minute, free for the Skype caller. |
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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 634
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Quote:
There's an old school way of doing this that would probably work well, even on an old nokia handset.
... Anyway I hadn't realised that "Skype Out" could be used in that way without having to use the Skype app on a smartphone or computer. Like you say there are many calling card and account services that offer just this. However there are also now some 'free' call-through numbers for calling international destinations (particularly the USA) - they are 'free' in the sense that they involve calls to 01, 02 or 03 UK numbers that will out of any inclusive allowance one might have on their mobile plan, or can be used for 'free' from landlines which have an inclusive call plan (though perhaps only at weekends, or evenings and weekends). Here are three such call-through services for the USA: www.freecallstousa.co.uk/ www.callusafree.co.uk/ www.zipcall.com/international-calls/ |
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 634
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Quote:
You can use an Android phone (or tablet) without a Sim. It would connect via Mum's wifi and she could keep her phone as a 'phone.'
If it seems complicated, then Nova launcher could be added (or others) just to leave the Skype/Whatsapp (?) icon on the front screen. ... Obvious point but whilst the OP confirms the mum's property has wifi, it does need to be on a broadband connection with sufficient speed to support voice calls (pretty common but not yet universal). |
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 470
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I use Localphone.com to keep in touch with my family abroad (Australia and Jeddah).
For Australia my brother has a UK incoming number diverted to his Australian mobile for 2.9ppm. For Jeddah I've setup my sister as a contact and dial the UK number provided and it connects straight to her. It costs 5ppm. The US appears to be 0.5ppm. The advantage of this setup is that you are only making regular calls, the only thing you do differently is call the assigned number rather than their actual number. I find it better than a call through service if you call the same people regularly or for those not familiar with using regular dial through services. |
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 25,199
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If you have a Wi-Fi on US side, use Skype and call the landline/ mobile phone directly. You need a subscription from MS, their prices seem reasonable. If you have a smartphone on UK side, all the better, no subscriptions necessary. You can even do video calls.
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