International calling

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Forum -> Household Management -> Finances

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Mon, Nov 13 2023, 8:11 pm

How do you call long distance?

Right now we have a calling card plan, but it's $11/month plus additional charges for calls.

What do you use to call long distance?

From US, to England and EY, including cell phones.

amother

Steelblue

Mon, Nov 13 2023, 8:24 pm

My family is in England

We use iPhone FaceTime audio for the other iPhone people and what’s app for everyone else

Haven’t using a calling card since 2011

amother

Bluebell

Mon, Nov 13 2023, 8:25 pm

I'm on east coast. I have family in Austria. Google voice. $0.01 per minute.

amother

Almond

Mon, Nov 13 2023, 9:04 pm

Whatsapp calls. You can video call or just phone call.
Absolutely free with wifi.
Anything else was too expensive and this is super easy.

Mon, Nov 13 2023, 11:47 pm

Whatsapp only works with people who have whatsapp though Smile

I'll look into Google voice. Thanks!

amother

Steelblue

Tue, Nov 14 2023, 12:17 am

kb wrote:

Whatsapp only works with people who have whatsapp though Smile

I'll look into Google voice. Thanks!

If they want to speak to you they’ll get WhatsApp

notshanarishona

Tue, Nov 14 2023, 4:32 am

I use whatsapp all the time to call Israel

tehilap

Tue, Nov 14 2023, 5:09 am

My husband setup a simple service which allows you to speak to friends and family in the UK and Israel for FREE!

This is how it works:
1) Choose a 2 digit code, share it with your friend.
2) Both of you dial the number local to you.
3) Enter the agreed upon 2 digit code.
4) Enjoy talking without paying expensive international fees.

These are the local numbers:
🇺🇸 34 12 12 12 12
🇬🇧 0178 555 0000
🇮🇱 03 3766666

Thousands of $ have been saved already by people using it.

amother

Cerise

Tue, Nov 14 2023, 5:35 am

tehilap wrote:

This is fascinating. It sounds like there must be a catch... what are the companies? And how did your husband set this up?

I live in Israel and have a few relatives I'm in touch with in the US. Since I'm pretty much the only one they call, I don't expect them to have a way to call Israel specifically. I have a cell phone with 500 international minutes each month. (I often go over, that's another issue. But this is a typical regular kosher plan many Israelis have and just don't use the int'l minutes.) I also have a US number through Sonetel.com that gets forwarded to my cell phone for something like 6 dollars a month. There is another charge for minutes spoken but I rarely use them. If my relative calls me, I call right back and use my cell phone minutes.

I also had my parents set up for me a Google voice number (can't do it from Israel) and I can use that to call the US (or anywhere) from my computer if I'm sitting and it's something quick. You can get it forwarded to your phone but I didn't feel like dealing with and/or paying for that.

I have an Israeli kosher phone so no whatsapp or facetime.

tehilap

Tue, Nov 14 2023, 6:05 am

My husband works in communications for one of the Cellular Networks in Israel so he has access to everything he wants. It doesn't cost him anything at all. He set this up himself as a private chessed.

It pains him when people tell him that they received massive bills when keeping in touch with family abroad.

amother

Bluebell

Tue, Nov 14 2023, 6:12 am

tehilap wrote:

That is so amazing. What a chessed!!! A lot of my family does not have internet access. And google voice and end up playing a lot when calling my sibling. Would he be able to make a code for Austria? If you need to call siblings cell phone it can be upwards of $0.20 a minute!

tehilap

Tue, Nov 14 2023, 7:05 am

amother Bluebell wrote:

He said that there isn't enough demand to warrant the monthly cost. Do they not have cheap calls to US or UK numbers?

amother

NeonGreen

Tue, Nov 14 2023, 8:31 am

tehilap wrote:

So both people call their country number at the same time and enter a 2 digit code- like an international conference call?

tehilap

Tue, Nov 14 2023, 8:37 am

Exactly, that's the idea. It's based on the same concept, just with a 2 digit code instead of a 9 digit account number and then 4 digit PIN. It's also limited to 2 people per room to avoid anyone else joining when you're on a call.

salt

Tue, Dec 05 2023, 1:39 am

tehilap wrote:

To get back to this, excuse the silly question but I don't understand, how do you arrange to both call the number at the same time?

Please can you explain in more detail how this works for non-tech people like me Smile

amother

Cerise

Tue, Dec 05 2023, 3:28 am

salt wrote:

I had the same question. Also, now that a lot of people have seen these numbers, how can you be sure you have a unique 2-digit code? Or does the system say "choose a different code" if it's already in use?

I'm picturing this- I call my mom with my expensive calling plan, tell her to call the US number and I'll call the Israel number, and we'll both enter 43. And then we hang up and call that number and have a longer conversation for free? And if it says "43 is already in use," we call back with the expensive plan and agree on 56?

Or we can have a list of numbers we use, like 43, 56, 78, 27, and go through them in order until one works? I guess it would be easier to start 01, 02, 03, 04,... But then there's a high chance that I'll enter 03 and Brachi's mom in the US also enters 03 to talk to her at the same time, and we get into the room first, no? So then Brachi's mom and I would be a bit confused before we realize and have to start over.

Is that how it works? Sounds like a code with more than 2 digits would work much better for a service you're announcing publicly like this. (Not that I don't appreciate the thought. Sounds incredibly helpful and generous!)

amother

Lightyellow

Thu, Feb 08 2024, 3:37 am

Getting back to this.
Do the 2 people have to arrange ahead of time when to call each other and call in at the same time?
Or does one side dial, enter their pin, and then it rings on the other side, like a regular phone call?

Thanks.

shanie5

Thu, Feb 08 2024, 3:53 pm

I have Verizon wireless. When I have a child in Israel, I add international calling for $15/month. Unlimited. Its per phone number, not per plan. So if others on my plan want to use their phones to call, it would be an additional $15 per phone

LovesHashem

Thu, Feb 08 2024, 4:05 pm

Do they have Gmail? You can video chat with a Gmail account too

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