Cost to call UK v US mobiles

nafanny29 · 09-07-2006, 23:48

I have always wondered why I can call US mobiles for FREE from my skype/VOIP cheap/landline even!! Where as UK mobiles is anything upto 50p a minute. why is this?

Do the UK networks have some sort of cartel or something? I mean a mobile is a mobile and US ones are 3-6000 miles away and UK ones are max 400 miles away LOL.

Another UK ripoff or is there a reason for this?

jaydun68 · 10-07-2006, 09:29

In a Word its all about TERMINATION CHARGES

US Mobiles have local numbers and not special numbers like here in the UK (IE all UK Mobile Numbers Start 07XXX etc etc) Where as in the UK the caller pays a preium to call a mobile number(though I am aware that many contract phones include minutes to other mobiles) in the USA you do not pay a preium, it costs you the same to call a mobile as it does a standard land line. This is why Skype etc can include US mobile numvers at such a low rate

HOWEVER: In the US you pay to receive as well as make calls on your mobile. So wrong numbers are sales calls become a big issue when you are paying to receive the call.

I belive this way of termination charges is unique to North America and as you can imagin is quite contraversal to those that live out side this area.

Hope this clarifyies things for you

Jaydun

SmegSnot · 10-07-2006, 14:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaydun68

I belive this way of termination charges is unique to North America and as you can imagin is quite contraversal to those that live out side this area.

Hope this clarifyies things for you

Jaydun

There are a couple of other countries too where this happens, but forget where.

This is the reason why mobiles were very slow to take off in the USA and why they were slow to improve coverage.

OFCOM was considering allowing the same to happen in the UK, it's not a system I'd want, I'm happy with the current system.

nafanny29 · 11-07-2006, 18:44

Thanks for that guys, so we are not getting a bum deal after all.

Now about SMS texts being charged at upto 12 pence each, surely thats a ripoff!!

scouse_j · 11-07-2006, 18:48

ar i didnt know that, interesting, so really the UK has a better system then the yanks? Well theres got to be a first for everything i guess

SmegSnot · 11-07-2006, 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by nafanny29

Thanks for that guys, so we are not getting a bum deal after all.

Now about SMS texts being charged at upto 12 pence each, surely thats a ripoff!!

Yes, it is, but people pay them, so the providers continue to charge them.

I pay 5p to send text messages to UK phones, though I also get free texts to Virgin mobiles until Sept. (I use more than one provider).

For international mobiles I pay 5c (Euro-cents) per message.

You need to vote with your feet, until people do, you will continue to be ripped off.

SmegSnot · 11-07-2006, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by scouse_j

ar i didnt know that, interesting, so really the UK has a better system then the yanks? Well theres got to be a first for everything i guess

Yes, the European and virtually the rest of the world other than North America and a couple of countries system is the better system.

But this isn't unusual ,the USA is often on the worse end when it comes to technology / system.

We can have a mobile phone and not make any calls, just receive them and it costs us nothing.

In the USA/Canada you have a mobile phone, never make any calls, yet it costs you around 10c/min to receive calls. Though to call a mobile it costs the same as a landline, as you the caller aren't paying the higher termination costs, but the callee is.

paulmellers · 13-07-2006, 20:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by nafanny29

Thanks for that guys, so we are not getting a bum deal after all.

Now about SMS texts being charged at upto 12 pence each, surely thats a ripoff!!

I read somewhere that texts cost the networks less than a penny (.1p IIRC) the whole point of them is that they can be flexibe around calls, i.e. they can take their place after voice calls which take priority as they are instant. It's to generate income during off peak times when all the lines aren't being used. It's unlikely that all the lines would be used, but that was the original idea behind email.

Please feel free to expand on that anyone.

bignoise · 13-07-2006, 20:36

In strict data terms, if you were charged as much for a voice call as you were charged for the data in a text message, a voice call would cost £54 per minute.

09-07-2006, 23:48	#1
nafanny29 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kilburn, NW London Posts: 1,240	Cost to call UK v US mobiles I have always wondered why I can call US mobiles for FREE from my skype/VOIP cheap/landline even!! Where as UK mobiles is anything upto 50p a minute. why is this? Do the UK networks have some sort of cartel or something? I mean a mobile is a mobile and US ones are 3-6000 miles away and UK ones are max 400 miles away LOL. Another UK ripoff or is there a reason for this?

10-07-2006, 09:29	#2
jaydun68 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Herts/Beds Boarder Posts: 35	In a Word its all about TERMINATION CHARGES US Mobiles have local numbers and not special numbers like here in the UK (IE all UK Mobile Numbers Start 07XXX etc etc) Where as in the UK the caller pays a preium to call a mobile number(though I am aware that many contract phones include minutes to other mobiles) in the USA you do not pay a preium, it costs you the same to call a mobile as it does a standard land line. This is why Skype etc can include US mobile numvers at such a low rate HOWEVER: In the US you pay to receive as well as make calls on your mobile. So wrong numbers are sales calls become a big issue when you are paying to receive the call. I belive this way of termination charges is unique to North America and as you can imagin is quite contraversal to those that live out side this area. Hope this clarifyies things for you Jaydun

10-07-2006, 14:18	#3
SmegSnot Banned User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ITV Land Posts: 823	Quote: Originally Posted by jaydun68 I belive this way of termination charges is unique to North America and as you can imagin is quite contraversal to those that live out side this area. Hope this clarifyies things for you Jaydun There are a couple of other countries too where this happens, but forget where. This is the reason why mobiles were very slow to take off in the USA and why they were slow to improve coverage. OFCOM was considering allowing the same to happen in the UK, it's not a system I'd want, I'm happy with the current system.

11-07-2006, 18:44	#4
nafanny29 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kilburn, NW London Posts: 1,240	Thanks for that guys, so we are not getting a bum deal after all. Now about SMS texts being charged at upto 12 pence each, surely thats a ripoff!!

11-07-2006, 18:48	#5
scouse_j Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Liverpool Posts: 787	ar i didnt know that, interesting, so really the UK has a better system then the yanks? Well theres got to be a first for everything i guess

11-07-2006, 18:48	#6
SmegSnot Banned User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ITV Land Posts: 823	Quote: Originally Posted by nafanny29 Thanks for that guys, so we are not getting a bum deal after all. Now about SMS texts being charged at upto 12 pence each, surely thats a ripoff!! Yes, it is, but people pay them, so the providers continue to charge them. I pay 5p to send text messages to UK phones, though I also get free texts to Virgin mobiles until Sept. (I use more than one provider). For international mobiles I pay 5c (Euro-cents) per message. You need to vote with your feet, until people do, you will continue to be ripped off.

11-07-2006, 18:53	#7
SmegSnot Banned User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ITV Land Posts: 823	Quote: Originally Posted by scouse_j ar i didnt know that, interesting, so really the UK has a better system then the yanks? Well theres got to be a first for everything i guess Yes, the European and virtually the rest of the world other than North America and a couple of countries system is the better system. But this isn't unusual ,the USA is often on the worse end when it comes to technology / system. We can have a mobile phone and not make any calls, just receive them and it costs us nothing. In the USA/Canada you have a mobile phone, never make any calls, yet it costs you around 10c/min to receive calls. Though to call a mobile it costs the same as a landline, as you the caller aren't paying the higher termination costs, but the callee is.

13-07-2006, 20:24	#8
paulmellers Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nottingham Posts: 1,674	Quote: Originally Posted by nafanny29 Thanks for that guys, so we are not getting a bum deal after all. Now about SMS texts being charged at upto 12 pence each, surely thats a ripoff!! I read somewhere that texts cost the networks less than a penny (.1p IIRC) the whole point of them is that they can be flexibe around calls, i.e. they can take their place after voice calls which take priority as they are instant. It's to generate income during off peak times when all the lines aren't being used. It's unlikely that all the lines would be used, but that was the original idea behind email. Please feel free to expand on that anyone.

13-07-2006, 20:36	#9
bignoise Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 4,151	In strict data terms, if you were charged as much for a voice call as you were charged for the data in a text message, a voice call would cost £54 per minute.

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Cost to call UK v US mobiles