Another question- vonage or other phone?

Re: Another question- vonage or other phone?

• Avion22

  March 2012

  I have a phone plan that gives me unlimited calling to US land lines and mobiles for 5 pounds a month.   This allows me to call whoever I want.   Sometimes I'll call just to see if my family is home and is able to Skype/Face Time.    If my family wants to call me they usually just email ahead of time to see when I'll be around, then I call them.  

  I guess it might be a little bit inconvenient for friends and family not to be able to call me on a land line whenever they want, but Skype and Face Time are awesome.   

   

  

  Report0 Reply
• bail229

  March 2012

  I just Skype/face time with my family and usually arrange the time before hand. Since it's such a big time difference for us, we usually just email during the week to see if the other is available to talk on the weekend (since that is really the only time we can chat unless I'm on school holidays or something).

  

  Report0 Reply
• VABeach08

  March 2012

  We have MagicJack.  I prefer it to Vonage b/c it was a once-and-done payment (when we came over 3yrs ago Vonage was a monthly plan... not sure how it is now).

  Skype works well too, although I personally like MJ b/c I like just being able to call whatever number w/o having to pay/have a subscription.

  I'm just coming over to FaceTime (got a Mac in Feb and iphone in Oct), so don't have a whole lot of experience w/ it yet.  For me a stumbling block w/ FT, like Skype is the needed to 'friend'/only use w/ Mac users. 

  

  Report0 Reply
• GilliC member

  

  March 2012

  I just pay the $60/yr or whatever for a Skype number that's local to my parents' house. They only ot broadband last year, so for most of my ex-pat life, Skype-to-Skpe wasn't really an option. So I would charge a little on my Skype account and make a 10-cent call to see if they were home and to call me back if they were (since it's a local call for them, and the Skype-in is a flat rate no matter how long you talk). I've been very happy with it. ...except when the credit card company calls me at 2am to try to sell me extra services. Normally the Skype phone isn't loud enough to wake me up, but if I'm up already, it's annoying. I like to explain to them that they just called Norway, and it's 2am. They get very confused.

  

  Report0 Reply
• sushisamba

  March 2012

  We have the same thing as GilliC, and just got a local US number with Skype.  I can't remember the annual fee, but I don't think it's too much.  I think we also have a plan where there is unlimited calls to the US via Skype-out, which is great when family/friends aren't at their computer, or we need to call other US numbers (e.g. credit card companies, etc.)

  
  Cecilia arrived 12 October 2012
  

  Report0 Reply
• Potato Pie member

  March 2012

  Ditto on the local Skype number. It's much easier than teaching all my family and friends how to call internationally and it's really nice when you switch locations often. My number hasn't changed in a few years now. Also nice when you need a US number for various applications, sites...etc.

  I also pay a subscription with Skype to have unlimited calls to US/Canadian phones. Nice to be able to call whomever, whenever. 
  

  Cape Town, South Africa

  Report0 Reply
• GilliC member

  

  March 2012

  sushisamba:

  I think we also have a plan where there is unlimited calls to the US via Skype-out, which is great when family/friends aren't at their computer, or we need to call other US numbers (e.g. credit card companies, etc.)

  FYI - Even if you don't have a plan, Skype doesn't charge for 1-800 numbers and other toll-free calls in the US. I love this, because I can call the credit card company, the bank, our US-based travel agent, the customer service for online shopping, etc.

  http://blogs.skype.com/en/2005/07/free_calls_to_tollfree_phone_n.html

  

  Report0 Reply
• marieg4108

  March 2012

  Thank you- very clear suggestions.

  Report0 Reply