Author Topic: Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia? (Read 2971 times)

addictweb · **on:** January 20, 2009, 22:42:26 PM

Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

on: January 20, 2009, 22:42:26 PM

The Mrs wants to phone her family in Russia and wants to buy phone cards but I cant imaging thats the best way nowadays.

I have Virgin 20Mb broadband and Phone line, what works best in the VOIP field? I dabbled with Skype but always had unusable connections, really fuzzy/broken sound.

Idealy it needs to be as easy as a regular phone so I dont have to be there to help. Also calls arent going to be that regular, maybe 100 mins a month so i dont really want a subscription to anything. I dont mind spending a bit on gadgets tho.

Thanks for any help

EDIT: I should also add that i have to call a traditional Russian landline there and not add any equiptment or broadband on the Russian end.

Serious · **Reply #1 on:** January 20, 2009, 23:09:50 PM

Re:Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #1 on: January 20, 2009, 23:09:50 PM

Check your provider, some, like talktalk, have optional toll free international calls to some countries.

Other companies give you heavily discounted calls by acting as middle men, you phone them, then the number you want. If you have free UK calls this might be a cheaper option than some.

bear · **Reply #2 on:** January 20, 2009, 23:10:25 PM

Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #2 on: January 20, 2009, 23:10:25 PM

Skype out perhaps ?

knighty · **Reply #3 on:** January 20, 2009, 23:12:58 PM

Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #3 on: January 20, 2009, 23:12:58 PM

try skype again ? things have really improved in recent years !

if it works fine via your speakers/mic then you can easy pick up a skip phone for your Mrs can use it easily :-)

(p.s. mail order bride eh?)

Maldonado · **Reply #4 on:** January 20, 2009, 23:32:11 PM

Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #4 on: January 20, 2009, 23:32:11 PM

Quote from: knighty

(p.s. mail order bride eh?)

pics imo

Eggtastico · **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2009, 08:02:16 AM

Re:Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #5 on: January 21, 2009, 08:02:16 AM

Three do an international call plan for £15 a month - it basically uses skype, but the quality is a bit better.
Three also do skype phones. Erm, Skype do an unlimted thing for about £3 a month.

addictweb · **Reply #6 on:** January 21, 2009, 08:15:05 AM

Re:Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #6 on: January 21, 2009, 08:15:05 AM

So it seems Skype might be worth another try.

I thought there were some other VOIP systems/providers about? Or do these require seperate servers/hardware setups?

Thanks for the input people.

More helpful that the sum total of my work collegues suggestions ... "move to Russia?"

Eggtastico · **Reply #7 on:** January 21, 2009, 08:27:30 AM

Re:Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #7 on: January 21, 2009, 08:27:30 AM

Quote from: sexytw

So it seems Skype might be worth another try.

I thought there were some other VOIP systems/providers about? Or do these require seperate servers/hardware setups?

Thanks for the input people.

More helpful that the sum total of my work collegues suggestions ... "move to Russia?"

http://www.sipgate.co.uk/user/index.php - but like most they charge per minute (& it always changes!) 4p per min atm.

Mongoose · **Reply #8 on:** January 21, 2009, 08:40:54 AM

Re:Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #8 on: January 21, 2009, 08:40:54 AM

my GF and I got 3 PAYG phones so we could Skype call one another for nothing.

Seemed like a good idea, but we only got the cursed things to work once, and that was from my parents upstairs to their living room. We managed to get most of our money back on them and are now just using up the credit on the SIM cards (they agreed to refund the handsets but not the credit, so we kept the SIMs). Even on normal calls the reception and signal coverage is diabolical.

Of course YMMV depending on where you are, but I wont be going near 3 again for a few years until theyve had a chance to sort out their signal strength in the Oxon/Bucks/Wilts area.

Eggtastico · **Reply #9 on:** January 21, 2009, 09:07:43 AM

Re:Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #9 on: January 21, 2009, 09:07:43 AM

Quote from: Mongoose

my GF and I got 3 PAYG phones so we could Skype call one another for nothing.

Seemed like a good idea, but we only got the cursed things to work once, and that was from my parents upstairs to their living room. We managed to get most of our money back on them and are now just using up the credit on the SIM cards (they agreed to refund the handsets but not the credit, so we kept the SIMs). Even on normal calls the reception and signal coverage is diabolical.

Of course YMMV depending on where you are, but I wont be going near 3 again for a few years until theyve had a chance to sort out their signal strength in the Oxon/Bucks/Wilts area.

skype through the 3 network is crap, but their £15 international plan isnt that bad.

bear · **Reply #10 on:** January 21, 2009, 09:12:18 AM

Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #10 on: January 21, 2009, 09:12:18 AM

I called a friend visiting china using skypeout and it was fine.

Rivkid · **Reply #11 on:** January 21, 2009, 09:31:43 AM

Re:Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #11 on: January 21, 2009, 09:31:43 AM

Just to add to what the others say really - Skype is def the way to go. I use it all the time to talk to my mate in the US and its great. Lovely and cheap too and cals landlines using skype out. Theres also some really nice Skype compatible wireless phones.

chrisdicko · **Reply #12 on:** January 21, 2009, 11:05:48 AM

Re:Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #12 on: January 21, 2009, 11:05:48 AM

My GF is from Slovakia, and she always uses Skype to phone home with no problems.

addictweb · **Reply #13 on:** January 21, 2009, 11:23:57 AM

Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #13 on: January 21, 2009, 11:23:57 AM

Excellent.

Just been looking at DECT and Skype dual use phones (no PC required), look like they might be a simple option.

Ill have to set Skype up and test it first but it seems that could be a good solution.

Clock'd 0Ne · **Reply #14 on:** January 21, 2009, 11:33:10 AM

Re:Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia?

Reply #14 on: January 21, 2009, 11:33:10 AM

Yeah my bro calls me on Skype from New Zealand and its good quality these days.

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Author Topic: Cheapest (and best) way to phone Russia? (Read 2971 times)