How Do You Make International Calls? 431
Futurepower(R) asks: "How do Slashdot readers make international calls? I know about OneSuite, Vonage, Skype,
and iConnectHere. I know that BigZoo is quitting business. What other telephone, VOIP, or other kinds of services are available? Is there any open source VOIP software that can connect directly through port 80, bypassing firewalls?"
I don't (Score:5, Funny)
(It's a joke! Not flamebait!)
Re:I don't (Score:2, Redundant)
How do Slashdot readers make international phone calls?
For countries within the North American Numbering Plan [nanpa.com], I dial "1" + area code + local number. For other countries, I dial "011" + country code + local number. It's pretty simple, eh.
Eric
Why the Vioxx recall (briefly) reduced spam [ericgiguere.com] (more humor)
Re:I don't (Score:3, Informative)
Seriously, I dial '+', then the country code, city code, and private number, which works fine*.
I've been very happy with my AT&T international dialing plan on my mobile. I pay <8c/minute for all international calls and I can use it anywhere - I'm not limited to making calls from home like I would be w/VOIP.
*I don't know about others, but on Sony/Ericsson phones if you hold the '0' key for a second it will turn it to a '+' for international dialing.
domestic or international long-distance (Score:3, Informative)
uniontelecard.com for calling cards close to rock bottom cheap with a minimum of gimmicks, but maintenance fees guarantee that ununused minutes will soon disappear. Voice quality ok, not great, typical for calling cards.
I use www.mywdt.com (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:I use www.mywdt.com (Score:2, Interesting)
They offer refillable cards, you can register your phone number with them and use cards without pin entry.
Also you can program shortcuts on some of their cards
masterbell.com (Score:2)
Re:I use www.mywdt.com (Score:5, Informative)
Re:I use www.mywdt.com (Score:2)
skype (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:skype (Score:2)
Re:skype (Score:2)
Re:skype (Score:2)
Easy (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Easy (Score:2)
Duh!
Re:Easy (Score:2)
0-11-[Country Code]-[Number you wish to reach]
Re:Easy (Score:2)
my system (Score:2, Funny)
Asterisk and a VOIP provider (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Asterisk and a VOIP provider (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Asterisk and a VOIP provider (Score:2)
Re:Asterisk and a VOIP provider (Score:2)
Also, short of re-wiring your house, you'd need to have network access at e
Re:Asterisk and a VOIP provider (Score:2)
Huh? you can get one of those linksys vonage box things, usually free or nearly free after rebate. They plug into your network and your exsisting phone line. You can use all your exsisting phone equipment. You even get dial tone when you pick up.
Re:Asterisk and a VOIP provider (Score:2)
Of course, this doesn't change your other objections, which are completely understandable.
Re:Asterisk and a VOIP provider (Score:5, Interesting)
I have a T1 at home, where I do various policing on my router to insure that my VoIP traffic is able to take that extra little bit over the top that TCP will normally try to stomp all over. (I'm rate limiting inbound tcp from my upstream). I also have LLQ (low latency queueing) configured to insure that the voip packets are the first that are sent out.
I have a setup with a few 7960's, and a cisco 2610 with NM-2V, VIC-2FXO-M1= and VIC-2FXS. These handle taking my PSTN service (which is actually ISDN going through a Motorola BitSurfr Pro) and passing it out the FXS ports to ring throughout my house, as well as using asterisk I have it ring some of the IP phones as well.
This allows me to:
Use my own caller-id database in asterisk
Buy unlocked ata-186's for family so they can call me and my wife for free
Use nufone for outbound LD
Be dependent upon electricity for my phone service (get a small UPS and you can keep yourself up for a day or so powering the BitSurfr, since that's all i need to be able to call 911, etc..)
Route calls the lowest cost (local goes out one of the POTS/Bitsurfr ports)
Log both outbound and inbound call times, so you know exactly when you ordered that pizza
Be geeky and increase my slashdot karma ;-)
Now, this is an overly complicated setup, but the point is that it's possible to set up a functional SIP/Asterisk solution for your home. You may be able to get one of the Soekris [soekris.com] PCs and install your favorite free unix (yes, Asterisk even works on the dying *BSD ;) and keep your power requirements a lot lower (so you can do all that E911 foo).
Nufone works nicely for my setup, and i cancelled my vonage (and gave the ata-186 to my wifes sister for christmas after paying $40+$15) so my overall costs are lower (except for the geeky maint part, and i still need to stick the cdrs into a database so they can be viewed on a webpage).
YMMV if you do something like this, since most carriers are transporting the calls as IP on their own networks, expect the quality to be the same or only slightly degraded (watch the codec being used, you really want something like g711ulaw for the best quality sound) for your calls prior to reaching the foreign countrys PSTN.
I have a magic box (Score:5, Funny)
I think it works with VoIP, but it's so small and light I don't know where the computer is. There's a DSL wire so it must not be wireless. Maybe it's VoIP over DSL? Yes, that's probably it.
A friend of mine says this is called a "Phone". I think that might be a play on "Vonage", I hope the Phone company doesn't infringe their trademark.
Anyway I use it all the time and I get a bill every month for minutes used. Not the cheapest rates around but I"m willing to pay extra for simplicity and reliability (the other day we had a network problem in my office but the Phone still worked! They must have some good QoS routing).
Re:I have a magic box (Score:2)
You have to admit though, as *cheap* as VoIP is - overall internet reliability may never reach that of the POTS network.
Weak (Score:2)
Re:I have a magic box (Score:2)
I too use my magic box and have no complaints with it. I've done some interesting things with it, too.
Some years ago when Nelson Mandela turned 70, the evening news mentioned the jail where he was (they hadn't turned him loose yet). So I called Cape Town information, got the number, phoned Polsmoor, and left a message for him. It sounded like the guy who answered the phone had been taking a lot of messages that day. He also very carefully took down my particulars, and I suspect there would have been no p
For me (Score:2)
Fire your long-distance provider! (Score:4, Insightful)
When the time came that I did need to place a long-distance call, the local phone company automatically picked the most expensive carrier. I fired them too, and then placed a block on my account so that the phone company could never 'SLAM' me again. Now I just use calling cards. Since I use long-disatnce service so infrequently, it makes the most financial sense.
Re:Fire your long-distance provider! (Score:2)
Re:Fire your long-distance provider! (Score:2)
There's a thing you can turn off... qos packets or somthing like that, which speeds up your connection if you use windows since downloads usually optimize for video rather than sound.
Varies by country.... (Score:4, Interesting)
The cost depends on two major factors....
1. Which country you are calling
2. Where the calls are originating
I was a big fan of BigZoo, especially for calls from the U.S. into Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and most of the stans.
Though I don't know why, most of the indepent resellers seem to be ditching the business.
Your local company (AT&T, etc.) always seem to have the cheapest price into neighboring countries (Canada, Mexico, England, and now even Japan.)
For calls originating outside of the US and calling in, callback services always seem to work best, though there doesn't seem to be much difference between them. The internet call back service are tolerance for voice communications.
10 10 987 (Score:3, Informative)
Re:10 10 987 (Score:2)
onesuite.com (Score:2)
Next on Ask Slashdot (Score:5, Funny)
How do you go to the bathroom?
For help answering that question, I direct you to episode 3, season 4 of Beavis and Butthead: Trouble Urinating. [tvtome.com]
Mod Parent Inevitable (Score:2)
O dear sweet Jesus, and saints preserve us
-kgj
Re:Next on Ask Slashdot (Score:5, Funny)
How do you go to the bathroom?
The same way I call internationally. IP.
No need for VOIP (Score:2)
POTS? (Score:2)
cheap international (Score:5, Informative)
Re:cheap international (Score:2)
JOhn
Re:cheap international (Score:2)
But for calling foreign countries from home, I find a phone card is much easier. Buy on the web, get the access #'s in e-mail, and dial away.
MSN Messenger is the only viable choice right now (Score:2)
So despite crappy UI, I have to use MSN Messenger. I save about $20 a month by doing so.
Re:MSN Messenger is the only viable choice right n (Score:2)
Not on my OS X copy of Skype
Perhaps you have your external speakers turned wayyyy up to "11". ?
Re:MSN Messenger is the only viable choice right n (Score:2)
Re:MSN Messenger is the only viable choice right n (Score:2)
Occasionally I have some choppy connection, but even calls to places like Venezuela had pretty clear voice quality (On MacOS X).
I don't think I've made a long distance phone call personally in a long long time.
Echo problems are caused by feedback... (Score:2)
Echo problems are caused by feedback from the earphones or speaker to the microphone. Use a headset to prevent feedback.
For perfect sound quality, in Windows, do Control-Alt-Delete and select "Task Manager". Click twice on the CPU table heading to see what programs are using CPU time. Skype should be the only program using significant CPU percentage.
I make calls from Brazil to France, U.S., and Australia, with perfect sound quality. I'm using a Telex headset, the one approved by Dragon Naturally Speak
not viable (Score:2)
Furthermore, even if MSN Messenger were technically better than other options right now, the solution would be to create other options that are not tied to a Microsoft service, since the consequences of Microsoft becoming a force in the VoIP market would be disastrous for everybody in the long term.
However, I seriously doubt that MSN Messe
Wake up, dude (Score:2)
If I can save $240 a year (that's compared to the cheapest available calling cards!) by using MSN Messenger, you can bet your ass I'll be using MSN Messenger.
As soon as MS starts charging for Messenger I'll move on to something else, or roll my own. So I'm not worried about them becoming a force in VoIP market, because I'm sure a lot of folks will do the same thing.
I yell REALLY loud. (Score:5, Funny)
I have this: (Score:3)
OneSuite.com is cheaper than Lingo to Brazil. (Score:2)
I checked Lingo to Brazil. It is more expensive than Skype or OneSuite. With Skype, calling from a computer with broadband connection, the sound quality is better than normal telephone service, and calling the U.S. from Brazil is 2.3 cents per minute, with no tricks.
OneSuite.com (Score:2)
Other international rates here http://www.onesuite.com/rates.asp [onesuite.com] You pre-pay for as many minutes as you want, and access is via a toll-free or local number.
Re:OneSuite.com (Score:2)
What they do is maintain a onesuite.com account (from England) setup so that friends and relatives in the U.S. can call THEM using the service. People are more likely to call since it is "free" (as in beer).
BigZoo Alternative (Score:2, Interesting)
Cellphone (Score:2)
For that, I just use my cellphone. I get 10/min (8.5 US) Canada/US long distance on it, so I just use it because it's convenient.
I have some family in Holland, and I'd likely just use my cellphone to call them too. (Right now I live at home, and they call here a lot.)
Net2Phone is Decent, But Have a Backup (Score:2)
I have run into problems occasionally where it will give a largely useless error stating they are having "Technical Difficulty" and can't place your call. Annoyingly, it seems to do this both when you
Re:Net2Phone is Decent, But Have a Backup (Score:2)
I converse Nat2Nat with my coworkers using Skype
all day, every day. The NATs are all configured to
forward ports 7419 and 24272 to the Skype box, in
every case.
Re:Net2Phone is Decent, But Have a Backup (Score:2)
One person I regularly talk to is behind a Microsoft Proxy / firewall while I am behind a Smoothwall. No problems whatsoever for either of us.
You might want to check the FW configurations.
Skype option to communicate over port 80 (Score:3, Informative)
I've had perfect experience with Skype over NAT. We are heavily firewalled. Skype has an option to communicate over port 80 (which is always open, because it is used by browswers). Check that option, and you are good to go.
Vonage (Score:2)
"Woo-hoo-hoo,Woo-hoo-hoo,Woo-hoo-hoo,Woo-hoo-ho
Phone card (Score:2)
Two Cans... (Score:2)
Re:Two Cans... (Score:2)
Canadian Customs Officer: "Do you have anything to declare?"
Qualico: "Uh yea I just went to the USA to take a crap... and I passed by the fridge to get a beer."
Canadian Customs Officer: "You're 50ml over-quota for that quantity of alcohol you're importing. Please fill out this form, and pay 0.50$ in duties. Thank you."
Re:Two Cans... (Score:2)
Ya but if I take that a piss also IN the USA, I won't be 50ml over-quota!
Thanks for tip eh!
Re:Two Cans... (Score:2)
Then I won't have to worry about anyting.
Oh wait, how will I attached that to the cans?
never mind...
Re:Two Cans... (Score:2)
Wonder if I could patent that?!
Yahoo Messenger (Score:4, Interesting)
'Course, I think I loose my geek card or somthing for recomending somthing like yahoo over skype... but hey, it works... so long as you run Windows... I guess I lost my geek card along time ago.
BabyTEL (Score:2, Interesting)
To call Canada from Vietnam (Score:2)
And while I was there, the exchange rate was about 13,000VND for 1$CA
Don't search the internet for rates (Score:2)
add my vote for phone cards (Score:2)
Thank you so much for this information. (Score:3, Funny)
A pain (Score:5, Informative)
Before VoIP, your only choice other than paying your regular LD provider a ton of money per minute was a calling card. These things are very problematic and inconvenient to use. First, you have to choose one that appears to have good rates to where you are calling. Then you have to read the fine print to see if they charge a connection fee, a maintenance fee, and so on. Usually, what appears to be a good deal isn't, unless you use up the whole amount in one call, or very few long calls. Then, after you find one that appears to be good overall, there's the difficulty of actually placing the call. Sometimes it's hard to very hard to get through, and it's a pain in the ass to keep calling their number, enter your pin, then dial the number. Some/most of these only allow a set number of attempts per call, so you have to keep calling back every X failed attempts. During peak usage of their network, like during the holidays, this becomes a huge problem. Then, if you get through, during peak usage call quality is fair at best, as they lower the bitrate to accommodate a larger volume of calls.
Some providers allow you to sign up. It works the same as a calling card with but you are billed monthly. Sometimes they can read your home phone # so you don't have to enter a PIN every time you call. More convenient, but still inconvenient to use and annoying when you can't get through.
Then there's pure VoIP, like Skype. Very convenient. No more wasting time finger-dialing 30-digit sequences of numbers. Add them to your address book then simply select & click call. Problems: very expensive (compared to the rates offered by calling cards) and sometimes you still can't get through.
The adage of "what appears to be a good usually isn't upon closer inspection" applies here too. Skype, for example, boasts ~0.02/min to Western Europe. Yeah, if you call a land line. But it's pretty much a rule - when you call Europe, you'll be calling a mobile phone. I have friends who don't even have land lines. And the price for calling mobile numbers is much higher. And _not_ competitive with what the calling cards offer.
So, it's pretty much a mess. I refrain from calling, as most of my friends have email and we keep in touch on a weekly basis. Add IM into the mix and you've got even less of a need for calling. Then some of them have broadband and headsets, so we can place calls for free over the net. The problem with this is that we must both be in a certain place at a certain time. When the planets align just right, it happens
For emergency use, I purchased 10 of SkypeOut credit which I use when I need to call someone and express my love toward them I can't deal with the calling cards any longer, and I'm willing to pay a premium price for this advantage for my limited use. If I'd be a heavy user, I'd probably use the cheapest service that worked, tho.
World-Link (Score:2)
I think world-link is greek owned. It was nice when my parents wanted to sign up and they were able to do so in their native language.
Found them after AT&T royally screwed me with a
1010phonerates.com (Score:2)
I used this site [1010phonerates.com] a while back when researching, and ended up using 101 6868 [pt-1.com] prefix. No monthly fee, and only 7.9c minute to the UK.
Ironically, my family can call me from the UK for less than 4c a minute. I have absolutely no idea why.
All the "10 10" numbers are pretty cheap, but all have slightly different slants. If you're calling one country in particular, shop around until you find one that's best for you.
cLive ;-)
Sprint Relay a guaranteed Threesome! (Score:2)
http://www.sprintrelayonline.com/
Great thing, it's free.
So with the relay operator involved, would it be considered a "threesome", if you had phone sex with your partner?
Here's some tips for ya if you decide to find out:
http://www.gorskys.com.au/ask/need-phone-se x -tips. html
http://www.sexuality.org/l/workers/phonesex. html
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?te rm=pho ne+sex
Re:Sprint Relay a guaranteed Threesome! (Score:2)
http://www.gorskys.com.au/ask/need-phone-sex-tips . html [gorskys.com.au]
http://www.sexuality.org/l/workers/phonesex.html [sexuality.org]
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pho ne+sex [urbandictionary.com]
port 80 (Score:2, Informative)
Skype (Score:5, Interesting)
However Skype has a few issues that really piss me off. One: you can't set the port in the OS X version (All version pick the port randomly). Two: It sounds weird on Mac but not on Win32. Three: Their FAQ dealing with this is ridiculous full stop: Ideally, outgoing TCP connections to all ports (1..65535) should be opened. This option results in Skype working most reliably.
What about Vonage? (Score:2)
Is there a cheap alternative to calling cards? How well does it work to sign up for US VOIP service and plug the system in in Moscow? What kind of connection do they require?
Aw come on guys (Score:4, Funny)
disclaimer: don't do this, probably illegal
NobleCom.com (Score:2)
Been using vonage (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Calls to Cuba? Any decent rates anywhere? (Score:3, Interesting)
From the UK it's easy and cheap (Score:3, Informative)
BroadVoice's "Unlimited World" Plan (Score:2)
Background: BroadVoice is a consumer-targeted service from Convergent Networks [convergentnet.com], which offers VoIP gear/services for businesses. They're based around Boston, maybe the Rt. 128 area, I think.
Anyway, the "Unlimited World" thing costs about $20 a mo
Making 'the' call (Score:2)
Therefore I would do the only sensible thing there is do do - I'd go to my parents house to make the phone call :)
phonecard tip (Score:5, Interesting)
So she started probing with her normal phone service.
If no one picks up on the normal phone call, no charge. If someone does pick up, it's a quarter or so connection fee for a 15 second call consisting of "Ah, you're home. I'll call you right back." Then she calls back on the card, and juices it for every single minute it's advertised to get.
Re:phonecard tip (Score:2)
Re:phonecard tip (Score:3, Interesting)
I do a long of international long distnace.
One card -- I forget which, I don't use it anymore -- always seemed to count minutes faster than reality. I didn't care enough to time it, I just decided not to buy that card again. I think it was about 45 seconds per "minute."
So they really do that? I thought I was nuts!
Phonecards-Prepaid? (Score:2)
Boss phone cards are apparently for use only around Massachusetts.
Phonecards-Prepaid [phonecards-prepaid.com] says 1.67 cents per minute from the U.S. to Brazil, for land lines, and 6.67 cents per minute to cell phones, far cheaper than other ways I've found for calling to cell phones in Brazil, where the caller pays the cell phone minutes. There is a 69 cents per week charge, and judging from all the verbiage on the rates page, there must be other charges not openly listed.
I'm skeptical. I've found that when there are a
Re:Hardly ever call internationally (Score:2)
A typical VoIP connection uses 2kB/sec. If you talk for an hour, you've uploaded and download a grand total of 7MB in each direction. Big deal. If you talked on your phone 24/7, you'd use 5GB of bandwidth. If your ISP is going to come after you for this kind of use, you need to get rid of them posthaste and use somebody who doesn't suck.
If you think the internet is going to have problems because everybody starts making 7MB/hour phone calls, you have another
Port 80 calling avoids opening firewall ports. (Score:3, Informative)
Calling through port 80, which Skype does, is a way of calling without hassling with opening ports in your software and hardware firewalls.
Re:Port 80 calling avoids opening firewall ports. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:BroadVoice (Score:2)