International Calling Card - any recommendations?

[Maurice Frank]

I need to call a company in the UK from the US regarding some travel arrangements for my next walk.

Has anyone used and can recommend international calling cards which would be cheaper than my mobile provider. Ideally, I would want to buy one that is delivered virtually by email or text instead of a physical card.

Thank you

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Checkout Tello. They say it's free. You can pick out custom plans combining various minutes and gigs. I've only used them for data but I've been happy with them.

tello.com/international-calling?destination=United+Kingdom

Tello Mobile | The mobile carrier you deserve | No fees, whatsoever

Build your own plan with minutes, texts and data starting at only $5/month. No contract, no hidden fees! You can also buy a new phone from Tello or bring your own mobile. It's all up to you.

tello.com

 

[Maurice Frank]

Checkout Tello. They say it's free. You can pick out custom plans combining various minutes and gigs. I've only used them for data but I've been happy with them.

tello.com/international-calling?destination=United+Kingdom

Tello Mobile | The mobile carrier you deserve | No fees, whatsoever

Build your own plan with minutes, texts and data starting at only $5/month. No contract, no hidden fees! You can also buy a new phone from Tello or bring your own mobile. It's all up to you.

tello.com

Thank you. Looks like it could work as long as I buy one month of a cheap plan. It would still be cheaper than T-Mobile.
Follow up after reading more: it looks like Tello is an alternative to my current mobile provider and I do not want to switch. Looking for something that uses my phone but sidesteps T-Mobile, if possible.

 

[TravellingMan22]

I need to call a company in the UK from the US regarding some travel arrangements for my next walk.

Has anyone used and can recommend international calling cards which would be cheaper than my mobile provider. Ideally, I would want to buy one that is delivered virtually by email or text instead of a physical card.

Thank you

Who is your contract in the UK with?

 

[Maurice Frank]

Who is your contract in the UK with?

I am in the US using T-Mobile and I need to call a company in the UK, sorry I was not clear

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

You go into your Tello account and cancel before your plan ends. You can park the number they give you for a small monthly fee.

I've put my Tello number on my eSIM which normally is free, my permanent number is kept on the physical SIM. If you don't have a dual SIM phone (I assumed you did) I don't know how much trouble things will be.

 

[TravellingMan22]

I am in the US using T-Mobile and I need to call a company in the UK, sorry I was not clear

No it’s fine. Just checking your weren’t on a UK company contract such as O2 who give free calls from USA to UK. I guess first place to check is on TBs call home rate from USA. An eSIM will be cheaper but if only making one call..

 

[trecile]

When I need to call overseas I use Viber. Calls are only about 2¢ a minute. I bought $5 worth of Viber credits before my Camino a couple of years ago and still have about $4 left. I also use it when I need to call landlines when I'm in Europe.

Cheap International Calls Worldwide | Viber Out

Make free internet calls with Viber. Call friends and family on any landline or mobile phone with Viber credit, sign up today at Viber.com

account.viber.com

 

[Maurice Frank]

You go into your Tello account and cancel before your plan ends. You can park the number they give you for a small monthly fee.

I've put my Tello number on my eSIM which normally is free, my permanent number is kept on the physical SIM. If you don't have a dual SIM phone (I assumed you did) I don't know how much trouble things will be.

Ah, now I understand, thanks for the explain.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Can’t you call thru WiFi?

 

[Tincatinker]

Skype, WhatsApp both free at point of use?

Why call anyway? Email is an effective communication medium that also has a permanent record

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

When I need to call overseas I use Viber.

Thanks @trecile, that's thinking outside the box with a long term solution to international calls and it reminds me to tell Maurice about Google Voice.

Voice is a free (for the US) VOIP service where you get a number and make calls over data or wifi. The number is tied to you smartphone so you can make and receive calls and texts with it but you can also do that over the web (put a message to call your Voice number on your phone and if you lose your phone you can see and hear messages left and reply using the web). Like Viber international calls are really cheap, I'm remembering 2 cents per minute to/from Spain. Also like Viber is that you have a kitty that you have to periodically feed to make or get international calls but it is $10 a feeding. Voice is used by many wanting a free business number. There is plenty of documentation on the web and YouTube for it.

 

[Robo]

I thought calling cards died out decades ago.
There are so many free apps now. Skype, Viber, Line.......
I use Skype all the time to call phones overseas. There is a small subscription for that.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Ah, now I understand, thanks for the explain.

Oh, and due to @Robo's post I understand you too now. I never used a calling call, couldn't remember them without the post and I thought you meant a SIM card. Duh!

Anyway, do look into Voice, it can save you a lot of money overseas paying for calls to your phone and your calls to the states.

 

[Maurice Frank]

Can’t you call thru WiFi?

I tried that once and the call still went over the cell network. I am not technical enough to know why or how to avoid that.

 

[trecile]

I tried that once and the call still went over the cell network. I am not technical enough to know why or how to avoid that.

Put your phone in airplane mode, then turn on only your wifi.

 

[Maurice Frank]

Viber worked. Thanks to all of you for your advice

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Whoops! I see that Viber worked for you just as I was about to hit the Post button. But since what I wrote may be helpful to somebody sometime I'm going to post anyway.

Put your phone in airplane mode, then turn on only your wifi.

I agree but I think there are phone, o/s and software combinations where you won't be able to call over wifi. If you can't call over wifi using @trecile's method the call shouldn't work at all.

Note that your network provider MAY charge you for an international wifi call; my provider, Google Fi, does but the rates are cheap, the same rates that Google Voice charges. Go here to see T-Mobile's webpage on wifi calling: https://www.t-mobile.com/support/coverage/wi-fi-calling-from-t-mobile

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Google Voice.

Voice is a free (for the US) VOIP service where you get a number and make calls over data or wifi.

I love Google Voice.
Google Voice allows you to call non-US numbers for a fee. Although the cost is not so straightforward. It varies depending on what kind of number you're calling. Landlines in the UK only cost a penny a minute, but there were 20 other choices depending on what kind of phone you're calling.

But where it really shines is when you are overseas you can call back to the United States and people don't even know you're not in the country. And they can reach you overseas, even if you have a European SIM card in your phone.
So now I use Google Voice as my primary number in the US. I still have a cheap US cell phone number for data or emergencies. And I never have to tell anyone that I am overseas.

It behaves like a number you can use anywhere on the planet. But it only works for US residents. Or at least you have to set it up when you're in the United States or through a VPN. It's free for individuals.

Viber is possibly cheaper for a one-off, especially if you use the free trial!

And also nowadays, I also just keep a Spanish Orange number which they seem to keep open as long as I top it up with five euros every six months. My US number is an electronic SIM and my Spanish number is a physical Sim.

 

[slee92630]

Thank you. Looks like it could work as long as I buy one month of a cheap plan. It would still be cheaper than T-Mobile.
Follow up after reading more: it looks like Tello is an alternative to my current mobile provider and I do not want to switch. Looking for something that uses my phone but sidesteps T-Mobile, if possible.

Others may have already responded, buy most likely your phone can support two SIMs (two services), iPhone 14 has two eSim "slots". I keep my main provider and just purchase another plan from a provide like Airalo and make that your primary plan. When done, just delete the Sim and go back to your primary plan. I did this earlier this year in Spain and Germany and last year in Asia. I'll do it again this coming March on my Camino. My only frustration, why aren't US based plans this reasonable?