Cheap International Calls from your mobile?

[Lion]

Our former neighbours have moved into the campo from their townhouse and as they are quite low down in a valley they cannot get a bounce from a satellite system and it's not looking likely that Telefonica will be putting in a landline anytime soon either.

At the moment they are making expensive international calls to Belgium (that's their nationality) from their mobiles and it's costing them silly money.

I know there are several companies that let you make cheap international calls from a landline but what about cheap international calls from a mobile?

[AguilaMike]

How about MobiPlus ?

http://www.teleconnect.es/en/mobiplusRes.jsp

[Beachcomber]

Here is another one:

http://www.dialabroad.co.uk/spain/

and another:

http://www.elotek.net/phone_mobile.asp

[spanish_lad]

how about the phonecards? euro thingy.. errrrrrrrrrrrrm euroconnect? cant remember, the blue one ? cheap calls from any phone ?

[brenda]

Also Fortune Cards - great value from payphone + can be used from mobile too.

[Lion]

Thanks, some good options there.

The DialAbroad one looks good.

Q. Can I use the service from a mobile?
A. Yes. Using the service from a Spanish mobile will cost between 20 and 40 cents depending on which network and tariff you are on. Again, this is vastly cheaper than dialling direct. Calling from a UK (or other foreign) mobile roaming in Spain is not advisable- use a landline, payphone or Spanish mobile instead.

Does the 20-40 cents charge mean the connection charge or per minute charge does anyone know?

[Beachcomber]

This is the cost per minute including the connection charge. I recently lent one of my Vodafone mobiles to a friend and he made several calls to the UK using 902902952 and a couple directly. An example of the charges are as follows:

Normal Tariff:
............Dial Abroad............Vodafone
1 minute - €0,49 ............... €0,78
2 minutes - €0,76............... €1,26

Reduced Tariff:
Dial Abroad
1 minute - €0,34
2 minutes - €0,59

This was in April last year from a contracted Vodafone but I don't think the rates have changed. One advantage with Dial Abroad appears to be that you effectively pay as you go as opposed to having to give bank or credit card details to maintain a balance but, then at least, you could not use that service to call a UK mobile.

One other point from your original post. Being in a valley should not affect the signal from a direct satellite service unless they are at the foot of the northern face of a high mountain.

Thanks to Admin for enabling the edit facility. So much easier than copying the original post, deleting it and pasting into a new post.

[Lion]

Thanks Beachcomber, they have the Sierra Tejeda to their north which would probably explain why they can't get a signal.

You post on Holiday Truths too don't you? - unless it's another beachcomber!

[Beachcomber]

I have posted there but found it generally too shallow and biased towards Turkey. A good place to go if you want to catch avian flu!

There is also a Beachcomber_Bar_Mojacar on that forum who is a moderator. It's not me though.

[Dominges]

Here are always a lot of options, instead of spending money your friends need just try to find it.
The cheapest way for them is to launch the IP telephony https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_ove ... 20landline, right now it is the cheapest alternative to expensive calls, both international or in country.

They can also try one of services like https://www.skype.com, https://www.whatsapp.com, https://hangouts.google.com, https://www.callnspeak.com.
I used hangouts being abroad before bringing all the family together.

[markwilding]

I would agree with that. If they can find a reasonable priced service with data, it is possible to make free calls over the internet.
Sometimes it can be difficult to convince people to use these services because some people think there are extra charges. It surprising how many already have data in their contract without realizing it.
My Aunt was one. She had a smart phone, data etc. but she took some convincing. However, she's glad I did as now we can keep in contact and send photos at no extra cost.

BTW, Watsapp has now included the possibility to make video calls.

[elusive]

Hits do a monthly deal including international calls

[TorreDelAguila]

Cheapest is to get an internet connection (probably wireless internet for remote campo), and then make phone calls over it.

A VoIP adaptor is a tiny box that allows connection to broadband, and accepts a standard phone/cordless DECT/answerphone plugged into it, if you want a traditional phone set-up. Alternatively use something like Skype, again over the internet.

Have internet, will travel! Find out who can provide a wireless internet signal in that area. Anything above 4Mb/sec will allow internet tv as well. 10Mb/sec more than adequate.

If your chosen internet provider can't provide a phone service, these people will: adamvozip.es
Very professional, reliable and dirt cheap calls.

[markwilding]

To landlines or to people without watsapp, i credit my Skype account with 5 euros and call them with that.
The credit lasts ages

[Dominges]

sure, that is what I was saying, there are a lot of services providing international calls some based on voip technology, other not, one just needs to try several and choose the one suitable. They differ in the terms of rates, connection fees, some are prepaid other post paid... as for skype, there is a thought that after it was bought by microsoft it became less quality, nevertheless it is the most popular...

never fear to experiment)