Best way to call from US to London on a regular basis?

A

alkaline

Gawd
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Jan 31, 2006
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My girlfriend is spending a semester abroad in London, and I'm looking for a cheap way to call her. The university provided her with a phone that receives calls for free. I'd like to figure out a way to call her for cheap. I'm assuming US Cellular is going to dish out some butt hurt on me if i use my cell, so what are my other options? Skype is the obvious...does anyone have details or advice? Something else? Also, what are these skype phones everyone is talking about?
 
Skype is awesome. Clarity is great, it's simple to use, plus it's free.
 
You don't need a Skype phone to use Skype. You can use any combination of speakers/headset/microphone and a computer with Skype software installed. A webcam is optional if you want to see each other.

Go to the Skype web site and read up. Download the software to see what it does. It's free for computer-computer communication; you only pay for computer-regular phone service.
 
I would just use Skype. I was on a study abroad in Japan over the summer and everyone used Skype to call back to the states. Can't beat free and the call quality was good even on a slow wireless connection.
 
If she has internet access then you could just use the voice chat part of yahoo or google messenger programs. I have used the google one many times to talk to one of my clan members that I work with on UT3 maps with.
 
Skype is the way to go!
i would recommend that ur gf to buy Skype Credit or subscribe the monthly plan ( no contract needed! )
since i dont think she will own a cell phone in London... it is the best for her to call ur cell ( when u r not home and u dont have a computer with u ) with her computer... ( it is freakin cheap! i assure u that! cuz i was using it while i was in Germany, and i used Skype Credit... and right now i still have some left... it is that cheap lol ) and when u r home or have a computer with u, u can use just Skype to (video)call her computer for free!

the reason y i said she would be the one who uses the Skype Credit or the monthly plan is becuz u r the one who is in the US with a cell phone, so when she call u thru Skype it doesnt charges u extra but like another normal cell phone call that u receive... and she can call u whenever she has a computer with her... instead of her paying extra to use a cell phone in london or calling long d from a phone... and she probably will be in the campus or home most of the time... so whenever u r at home or have a computer... u probably can spot her online...
this is the way that i have used and it works really great and cheap! and yes the quality is great!

hope this helps!

KeymaN
 
Ugghh, my eyes.

I would just use Skype since it's dirt cheap (Like $3 a month or something) and it works well and you could use it both ways, her call you and you calling her (depending who's on the computer) since it'll show up as a normal call for you AFAIK and since she has the university phone it doesn't matter for her so it's pretty much win win.
 
u need to stop spelling like ur texting when u have access to a real keyboard. It hurts to read what u type.
 
Nanan said:
If she has internet access then you could just use the voice chat part of yahoo or google messenger programs. I have used the google one many times to talk to one of my Klan members that I work with...
Click to expand...

One little letter changed and something completely new is uncovered! :p
 
I use the Linksys skype phone and love it....we call japan every week with it and also use it for long distance in the US. Whats nice is you dont have to be sitting in front of your computer to use it.
 
Other completely free options would include team speak or ventrilo.

Running a server for either on a home computer for a small number of users takes no notiacble hit to performance.
 
Elf_Boy said:
Other completely free options would include team speak or ventrilo.

Running a server for either on a home computer for a small number of users takes no notiacble hit to performance.
Click to expand...

VOIP server for the win, you can run your own vent server free, just download the server script and run it, 8 people max at a time.
 
My sister has lived in England for the last several years and I've been using Skype to call her for a while now. Voice quality seems to be a little worse than what I'm used to for local voice calls, but not much worse than when I call her from my cell phone. However, it's a hell of a lot cheaper for me to call her via Skype than for me to use my cell. Trust me, the cell bills for international calls is a killer.

Plus, when my mom went over this past Spring to visit my sister for a month I sent a webcam with her. My sister setup her own Skype account and we used webcams for visuals. Plus, the Skype to Skype call didn't cost anything.

 
Vonage. You can even have your house number transferred to your vonage account... and best of all, it's a real phone service using VOIP (so you can use your regular phones) and it's only $24 a month. Calling US, Canada, Mexico, UK all unlimited.
 
Skype, its cheap as f00k to call from usa to uk or vice versa.
 
Skype does sound good, I just started using it once again recently myself. I was one of the original alpha testers years past and the sound quality is dramatically better now, almost to the point where people on the other end can hear stuff from the mic that I can't even detect with my ears inside my own apartment, it's kinda freaky.

PC to PC calls are free, however calling PC to landline is where you'll incur a cost. It's still pretty cheap compared to some services, but... if you can manage to do PC to PC you both can talk for a long time. I know some mobile devices might even be able to do Skype as well, so that's worth checking into also.
 
I considered Skype at one time but seemed a little pricey. I went with one of the VoIP companies instead with a pay as you go plan. I call Australia, HK, Canada, and use it for domestic calling too. Very good call quality. The only thing you would need to buy is a phone adapter; I purchased mine off ebay for $30 shipped.

https://www.future-nine.com/index.html
 
Skype subscription + phone adaptor is the way forward. Unlimited land-line calls, have her set up a US number and you a UK one.
 
+1 for Ventrilo

-1 for teamspeak

0 for skype/etc

It's like ... "Hop on vent!" "ok"

"hai!"
 
toric334 said:
Skype subscription + phone adaptor is the way forward. Unlimited land-line calls, have her set up a US number and you a UK one.
Click to expand...

umm what phone adaptor? sounds like something new to me lol
cuz i only used skype on my computer b4... kinda tempted to try it on a PSP too lol
but looks like now it works on aphone... so please explain?

thanks

KeymaN
 
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