Do You Use International Calling?
By Emerson
@CrossingBorders (249)
Hidden Valley Lake, California
December 30, 2015 10:50pm CST
This is something that I think most people don't think about. How many people really take advantage of calling outside of their country? For business purposes, I know this happens daily but what about for average person. I have friends in Switzerland, one in England, three in Mexico and maybe one or two in South America. Granted, I am referring to friends whom I have only met online but each one of them I have trusted over time to exchange phone numbers.
I've just recently begun to use international calling but, man, it sure costs a lot because I don't have a specific plan for it. It's not on my cell phone plan or my home phone. My son tells me all the time to slow down because I am not the one who pays for all of it and I lightly laugh at him but I know exactly what he means. My friends call me instead because for some reason it's way cheaper for them.
So I wonder, just for personal use, if people really take advantage of this.
3 people like this
5 responses
@smoneyshoney (108)
• Chennai, India
31 Dec 15
yes i used international phone calling to USA 3 years ago. but nowadays i use whatsapp to call my relatives over there in USA :)
1 person likes this
@CrossingBorders (249)
• Hidden Valley Lake, California
31 Dec 15
@smoneyshoney How does that app work?
2 people like this
@smoneyshoney (108)
• Chennai, India
31 Dec 15
@CrossingBorders it uses free wi-fi or mobile data. Whatsapp is quite popular. It was bought by FB :)
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
31 Dec 15
In the UK there are many calling card systems and dedicated SIMs which allow International calling at very cheap rates (just four or five pence per minute to the US, for example). I know that such schemes exist in the US but they seem to be less common, possibly because of the different charging system you have there. In the UK it is the person who initiates the call who pays for all of it. It doesn't cost anything to receive a call. In the US, I believe, if you receive a call you very often have to pay part of the cost of the call (though there are many different plans available, I believe, which mean that it's free to receive calls under certain circumstances).
If I want to call overseas, I try to use Skype, which has relatively cheap rates for overseas calling and is entirely free for both parties when using Skype to Skype.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
1 Jan 16
@owlwings There's also:
24x7 Helpline 1-888-673-5426 Reliance Global Call Enter User Id Enter PIN For Eg. 1234 Select AUSTRALIA AUSTRIA BELGIUM CANADA FRANCE HONG KONG INDIA IRELAND NETHERLANDS NEW ZEALAND SINGAPORE SPAIN UK USA You are here - Call Rates Best Inter
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)
• United States
31 Dec 15
I haven't seen a calling card in years. I know they still exist, and if I am not mistaken the most you can buy on one card is around 500 minutes. Roughly on 8.5 hours of calling time.
@CrossingBorders (249)
• Hidden Valley Lake, California
31 Dec 15
@owlings I know that here in the states if you use Verizon Wireless you get billed for receiving phone calls and text messages that are international unless you do a plan so I understand what you have stated there. However, the bulk plan options to be able to send and receive with no additional charges are very costly plans. It makes it quite daunting especially when you live here but have family elsewhere. Skype is a good option but that uses data and can easily create a huge overage cost.
@ScribbledAdNauseum I haven't seen or used a calling card in years.
@youless (112497)
• Guangzhou, China
31 Dec 15
In the past the international call was so expensive. Due to the internet, today we don't often make an international call. If I have to make an international call, I will take advantage of Skype because the price for it is cheaper. But most of the time I contact with my foreign friends by email.
@CrossingBorders (249)
• Hidden Valley Lake, California
31 Dec 15
I'm not a fan of going back and forth in email to keep in contact with people.
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
31 Dec 15
Yes we do quite frequently, but many times we will just email instead because of the time differences.
@CrossingBorders (249)
• Hidden Valley Lake, California
31 Dec 15
Oh, yeah; time zone differences does make an impact on when you would talk. Just trying to talk to a friend of mine three hours ahead of me is a chore sometimes and, especially, because he works.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)
• United States
31 Dec 15
I have never had to call outside of the United States. I have had a friend in BElgium but we never exchanged phone numbers. I do know that friends of mine who live in the states now, use calling cards they get from the local Latino stores so that they can call home to Mexico.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)
• United States
31 Dec 15
@CrossingBorders I Imagine they are still available, albeit in smaller quantities. I only ever saw these cards in gas stations and latino stores. I've not noticed them in gas stations, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.
@CrossingBorders (249)
• Hidden Valley Lake, California
1 Jan 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum The last time I saw them was a few years ago at the 99 Cent Only Stores
1 person likes this
@CrossingBorders (249)
• Hidden Valley Lake, California
31 Dec 15
Calling cards have been an option for years. I remember using them but to me that seems obsolete now.
