Telephoning the UK cheaply

Mexican Pete · Post by **Mexican Pete** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:08 am

I’ve had a quick search on the site but haven’t managed to find anything relating to this subject. Is anyone able to tell me whether there is a Portuguese equivalent of services such as "0844calls" in the UK whereby you can call Portuguese land lines from the UK for ½ p a minute?

laserblazer · Post by **laserblazer** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:21 am

My daughter uses Skype via her computer. Usually we talk computer to computer so it's free but if she calls to our landline it costs a few pence.

Al Garb · Post by **Al Garb** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:55 am

I use Skype but I know people who use www.rebtel.com

bazza · Post by **bazza** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 3:24 pm

phone cards are an option easycall cards cost 5 euros and give you 150 minutes to the uk - or purchase phone cards on the internet

Bazza

steve · Post by **steve** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:43 pm

Take a look at the phone call section of http://www.moneysavingexpert.com

rodstocker · Post by **rodstocker** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:16 pm

I used Skype (amongst other VOIP services) but switched to Jajah (http://www.jajah.com) some 18 months ago. This is not a VOIP service. You use the Internet to establish a telephone to telephone call. If both caller and receiver are registered to use Jajah the call to the UK is FREE!!! Even if the receiver is not registered the call is still under 3 cents a minute. Check it out. Simply use your normal telephone to call the UK.

Ma-Ja's · Post by **Ma-Ja's** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 11:36 am

We use a phone card that costs 6 euros and gives us 300 minutes worth of calls to a UK mainline. The cards are called Call Europe Plus and we have found them in Casa Garde - a pottery shop on the N125 just after the international school on the left hand side

Farol · Post by **Farol** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:50 pm

Closest thing I know to what you are asking for is the type of service provided by Just Dial. You call 0870 7940870 for 7.5p peak or 3.75p off-peak and then tap in the international number you want to call and connect at the same fee rate.

They provide other options so have a look: http://www.just-dial.uk.com/

Using this service is also a very effective way past international call barring that some people have on their office phone or mobile.

Always seems much cheaper than dialling the international number direct.

rog123 · Post by **rog123** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:43 pm

I'm interested in Skype but have no idea how to buy/get it or how it works. Is it easy, do you somehow find it on the internet?

I've been buying those cards for ages (find Mega Europe is currently one of the best) but I'm getting tired of dialling all those numbers.....

Al Garb · Post by **Al Garb** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:53 pm

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/

steve · Post by **steve** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:40 pm

Jajah is good but both parties have to be registered for free calls and both have to use the service once every 2 weeks to keep the free service.

I use Voip buster - now also VoipStunt. You register for the service online and stock up with a credit of 10 euros. You enter the number that you want to call on your computer and the service rings your home phone and connects to the phone number you are calling. You then speak as you would on a normal landline call with equal line clarity but obviously much more cheaply. Calls between Portugal and the UK (either way) cost 1 cent a minute with a connection charge of 5 cents. There is a usage limit of 300 minutes a week after which the cost rises to 2 cents a minute until you are once again down below the 300 minute over 7 days limit.

I used to use Skype out but the call costs were higher than Voipbuster and there was a connection charge that skype did not publicise. The line quality was patchy and you had to use headphones or a voip phone in combination with your computer. I have found Voipbuster much better and my phone bills have reduced enormously.

moving man · Post by **moving man** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 3:11 pm

there is a small device you can fit between your home phone line and your router, so you just use your normal phone and it routes your calls over the internet by your preferred supplier ie freecall viop cheap etc (most of these suppliers offer free land line calls to Portugal and the UK) You don't need to have the computer switched on to make a call or have to think about which account to use. You still receive calls on your normal PT phone and if your internet fails for some reason by adding a 0 your dialed number you can route your calls out of the PT again. I'm having one fitted at home cost is about 100 Euros but then my fixed line calls are totally free of charge and mobiles at a very reduced rate and I just use my normal phone

Happy days