Need a good way to make a one-time international call (US to UK)

[yukichigai]

So in order to resolve some issues I'm having with something I ordered from the U.K., I find myself in need of a way to call a number in London. The problem is that I don't have an international calling plan at all; this is the first time I've ever needed to call internationally outside of work (where I use the work line), and it will probably be the last for the immediate future.

I've looked into some of my options but I haven't come up with anything that sounds good. Briefly:

1) Skype and Google Voice offer good rates, but require you to buy credit in $10 batches. I will not need to be on the phone long enough to justify that $10, not at 8 cents a minute.

2) Calling cards have much the same problem, in that I can't find anyone selling them for less than $10 at a time.

3) AT&T (my carrier) won't tell me what it costs to make an international call without a calling plan.

4) Before someone asks, no I cannot use the line here at work.


Any advice?

 

[mikeymikec]

I realise this probably isn't a helpful response, but you need to actually have an international calling plan to make an international call?

Here (UK), you just pick up a phone and dial any international number, and you'll be connected. I haven't heard of anyone having to have a specific calling plan for that. Perhaps there are "child proof" calling plans where international numbers are banned, not sure.

The only time where international stuff and calling plans come into play that I can think of is if I take my mobile to another country and I want to make and receive calls while I'm there. I know I can do that in at least one other European country.

 

[zerocool84]

I realise this probably isn't a helpful response, but you need to actually have an international calling plan to make an international call?

Here (UK), you just pick up a phone and dial any international number, and you'll be connected. I haven't heard of anyone having to have a specific calling plan for that. Perhaps there are "child proof" calling plans where international numbers are banned, not sure.

The only time where international stuff and calling plans come into play that I can think of is if I take my mobile to another country and I want to make and receive calls while I'm there. I know I can do that in at least one other European country.

You can call any number in the world here in the states, it'll just cost a lot and AT&T being the way they are, want him to sign up for a plan.

 

[yukichigai]

You can call any number in the world here in the states, it'll just cost a lot and AT&T being the way they are, want him to sign up for a plan.

That's it in a nutshell. They won't tell me what it would cost without the plan (they make it very difficult to figure out) and the plan itself is near that $10 mark after fees and such.

 

[Slacker]

sign up for plan, make call, cancel plan, even if you pay $10.00 it would be the cheaper way to go.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

buy a telephone card? that's how we call Asia all the time.... I know it sounds low tech but practically every Asian family in California knows this. I imagine it would work for Europe too

 

[Kelvrick]

Google voice?

 

[the DRIZZLE]

Spend the $10 on google voice. How much hassle are you going to go through to save the difference between $10 and the cost of some crazy alternative?

 

[WelshBloke]

That's it in a nutshell. They won't tell me what it would cost without the plan (they make it very difficult to figure out) and the plan itself is near that $10 mark after fees and such.

Is that legal for them to hide their fees? They would get slapped silly with a big stick over here for trying that. Is there no regulator you can complain to?

 

[gsaldivar]

Spend the $10 on google voice.

This.

Seriously.

It's only $10....

 

[ponyo]

Nice thing about Google Voice is calls are extremely cheap and they charge you for exact minutes without all the BS fees and charges. $10 will stay in your account pretty much forever and not get eaten up by BS monthly fees. Who knows you might need it later. Google Voice isn't going away anytime soon.

 

[ew915]

If you need to make a single call i think i can help. I can just use skype 3 way calling and have you connected to UK.
We would just need to set up a time.

 

[YoungGun21]

If it is that important, suck it up and pay $10.

 

[Binky]

Sign up at localphone. They give you a free 5 min test call. Use it for your call. Talk fast enough so that you're finished in 5 min. If you need another 5 min, sign up for a second account.

There are other VOIP providers that offer free test calls too. just google "free test call."

 

[pm]

I sent you a PM, yukichigai

 

[Rifter]

I would switch carriers on the spot if they wouldnt tell me what it is going to cost me to make the call. Thats seriously insane. Its there network there plan there hardware how the hell cant they tell you what a phone call on a phone network is going to cost.

I would just buy a $10 calling card and look into a new carrier.

 

[Rifter]

Is that legal for them to hide their fees? They would get slapped silly with a big stick over here for trying that. Is there no regulator you can complain to?

and this 100%

 

[QueBert]

In Cali any ways most liquor stores have $2 calling cards now. I haven't seen any that don't have $5 at the lowest.

 

[obidamnkenobi]

Is that legal for them to hide their fees? They would get slapped silly with a big stick over here for trying that. Is there no regulator you can complain to?

The rates are on the AT&T website somewhere, I remember looking them up at some point. Probably couple dollars a min or something.

I say put $10 in google voice or Skype. That can be used for other calls as well (unlike a calling card). Actually Skype may be more versatile since you can use that to call phones in the US from your computer, should you need to for some reason.

 

[yukichigai]

Spend the $10 on google voice. How much hassle are you going to go through to save the difference between $10 and the cost of some crazy alternative?

Depends on the hassle. Right now $5 is worth a good deal to me.

The rates are on the AT&T website somewhere, I remember looking them up at some point. Probably couple dollars a min or something.

I say put $10 in google voice or Skype. That can be used for other calls as well (unlike a calling card). Actually Skype may be more versatile since you can use that to call phones in the US from your computer, should you need to for some reason.

I have had a google voice account since a few months after the service started and a Skype account for about 8 years. In that entire time I have never, not EVER, needed to use any of their paid services. I have not WANTED to use any of their paid services. The remainder of that $10 will probably never get used, except as a sort of "oh hell it's going to waste anyway" type deal on something I don't really want or need.

If it is that important, suck it up and pay $10.

It's amazing how many different ways you can configure letters and words to form the phrase "I AM BEING UNHELPFUL AND INCREASING MY POST COUNT."

If you need to make a single call i think i can help. I can just use skype 3 way calling and have you connected to UK.
We would just need to set up a time.

I... may actually take you up on this. Not sure.

Is that legal for them to hide their fees? They would get slapped silly with a big stick over here for trying that. Is there no regulator you can complain to?

If you want to get technical, they aren't HIDING them, no sir. See, when you ask what their fees are, they'll say it's the "basic rate" for international calling. When you ask what that is, they say it differs on your location, but they can't look it up, and they tell you to look it up on their website. Of course when you try to find the location on their website where that information is, it doesn't exist, and when you ask THEM to tell you the location they tell you that the website they see will be different than yours (either because they're in Mumbai or because they're lying sacks of crap) and they won't be able to direct you to the correct information.

If I spent 3 years in court I might be able to get a settlement out of them for $2.50 and a Quizno's coupon.

buy a telephone card? that's how we call Asia all the time.... I know it sounds low tech but practically every Asian family in California knows this. I imagine it would work for Europe too

That was my thought, but unfortunately I live in rural Nevada, where the only calling cards we have are typically ones geared towards calling Mexico. If you know of a brand that I can buy for less than $10 at a time I would be very interested.

 

[MotionMan]

So, just to confirm, you cannot do this via e-mail, some sort of IM or computer-to-computer Skype?

How about a free trial of Go-To-Meeting with HD Faces?

MotionMan

 

[Binky]

I gave you a nearly perfect solution. Localphone or rebtel both offer free test calls. You could also sign up for an account on either one, add some credit, use what you need, then request a refund on the balance (check the refund terms first). Both of these services will allow you to setup a local number which would connect you to any international number. They can also be used as calling cards. Localphone can also be used as an SIP (VOIP) service. The options are endless.

Or, just setup an SIP client on your cellphone (or use a softphone on your computer) and "borrow" somebody's credentials for a quick call. Rates from the US to the UK are about 1 cent per minute. Hardly a problem. If you can't find anybody, send me a PM and I'll give you SIP credentials for a quick call. You can mail me a quarter.

Skypes rates are very bad compared to the other VOIP options out there.