Calling cards...

[mmmab]

Using Skype, from a PC, is cheaper than that .. only 4 or 5 pence a message. I never got on well with Chika, which seemed to upset my PC.

I had Skype set up so that messages appeared to come from my Philippines phone ... this meant that replies only cost 1 peso.

I have had the same problems with chikka, so I think I'm gonna go and try out skype, and it is cheaper that lycamobile, thanks for the tip PeterB

as for replying, get ur misses to send u a international roaming simm for a spare mobile if u have one, so if she doesn't have a pc near by to use chikka, she can reply direct to that mobile for a few pesos.

She has mentioned globe international roaming sim to me before and for Chritsmas she sent me a package but we forgot about the sims hehe

Indeed, I bought a Smart SIM on my first visit to Phils ... and it's not 'a few pesos', it's one peso!

Would it be one peso as well if we use Globe sim, my honey is a Globe sim user, so just wondering if it would be the same...

[PeterB]

First of all, you can buy a Philippines SIM, in the UK, online - visit the 'callingnow' website.

Secondly, whichever company SIM you buy, her SMS will only cost 1 peso.

[Sim11UK]

First of all, you can buy a Philippines SIM, in the UK, online - visit the 'callingnow' website.

Secondly, whichever company SIM you buy, her SMS will only cost 1 peso.

Don't forget, it will cost you to receive her texts, if you are set to roaming.
I got mine set to roaming, last time I was in Phils...When I got back to the UK, it didn't work?
Maybe it's easier, to just send load. I know when I send it, she sends some to her mom, which I am quite happy about.

[fred]

its depend if your family have a computer

Now why would it depend on them having a computer??
Im calling them from a computer direct to their land line!

I have tried dialing P.I numbers (mobile and landline) from here in P.I and the per minute costs are too high to continue..Skypeout obviously thinks Im calling from the UK and thats why I pay less than a penny when I call UK landlines..

[darren-b]

I have tried dialing P.I numbers (mobile and landline) from here in P.I and the per minute costs are too high to continue..Skypeout obviously thinks Im calling from the UK and thats why I pay less than a penny when I call UK landlines..

Skype charges the same to call no matter where you are. It's just the rates to dial the Philippines are not that cheap because I guess Skype do not have their own telephone systems in the Philippines.

[PeterB]

Don't forget, it will cost you to receive her texts, if you are set to roaming.

Not true! It costs absolutely nothing to receive a standard SMS, wherever you are in the world. You will, however, be charged for receiving voice calls!

I got mine set to roaming, last time I was in Phils...When I got back to the UK, it didn't work?

I suspect that roaming wasn't fully turned on. I asked for a 'roaming-enabled' SIM but then discovered that I had to send an SMS command (while still in Phils) in order to actually turn the roaming on.

When you buy a SIM from callingnow, the roaming is already turned on for you.

Maybe it's easier, to just send load.

Possibly, but it does work out a lot more expensive if she sends many texts. My figures of 1 peso and 15 pesos aren't fiction!

[PeterB]

Skypeout obviously thinks Im calling from the UK and thats why I pay less than a penny when I call UK landlines..

No! It doesn't matter where you are .. the cost of a Skypeout call is dependent solely on the location/number being called.

[jimeve]

last time I checked skype to the Phils it was 16 pence per minute.

[Sim11UK]

Not true! It costs absolutely nothing to receive a standard SMS, wherever you are in the world. You will, however, be charged for receiving voice calls!

I'm sure you are right, I remember them saying about a charge, so it must have been from received calls.
Think I will have to check out a SIM from calling now.

Thanks Peterb

Maybe I should start selling them...SimsSIMS

[PeterB]

last time I checked skype to the Phils it was 16 pence per minute.

For a voice call to a mobile, not an SMS!

[jimeve]

For a voice call to a mobile, not an SMS!

I mean VOICE. £ 0.162 TO PHILS MOBILE, from uk skype.

[mmmab]

First of all, you can buy a Philippines SIM, in the UK, online - visit the 'callingnow' website.

Secondly, whichever company SIM you buy, her SMS will only cost 1 peso.

I'm going to visit that site now and get myself a Globe Sim, at least it would save her a lot of money texting me back and forth, thanks for that PeterB

Not true! It costs absolutely nothing to receive a standard SMS, wherever you are in the world. You will, however, be charged for receiving voice calls!

Thanks for that too, finally have found a cheaper way of texting her via skype and she can now also text me for only one peso via the Globe Roaming Sim, thanks a lot for that, I really appreciate it!

[PeterB]

... thanks for that PeterB

You're most welcome. This forum is all about offering advice based on our experience. The roaming SIM/Skype method was the one which I found most workable, and allowed us to keep in contact when Ruby couldn't get to the Internet cafe. It also allowed Ruby to contact me on a matter (literally) of life and death - in the very early hours of the morning in UK.

[Plonker]

I use "O2 your country" sim card, the sim card is free from any O2 shop as long as you top it up atleast £20. I top up every month with £30 with that you get 200 free mins and you actually get 200 mins to call anywhere in the world not just philippines. Plus the £30 paid credit which gives you a total of 230 mins at a cost of 7.6p per min. It sounds a bit exspensive but it works for us cause we only talk around 10 mins everyday whilst I'm at work, the good thing is the reception is fantastic and crystal clear. On weekends we just use ym.

I used phoned cards before but I still cant figure out how they deduct minutes, so you dont get what you pay for with phone cards. And sometimes it takes many goes just to get a connection, so frustrating. Which is why I dont use them anymore.

[fred]

last time I checked skype to the Phils it was 16 pence per minute.

Oh right... Wonder why am I only paying 0.017 p to call the UK from here??

[PeterB]

Oh right... Wonder why am I only paying 0.017 p to call the UK from here??

... because connections to the UK are plentiful and cheap.

[georyz]

my wife gets sms messages from the phils thru her roaming sim which only cost 1 peso for them and she replied using her nomi mobile and/or idt mobile which only cost her 10p either to text and call and sometimes nomi mobile got promotions just like now they have free 88mins international call if u top up 10 pound which is of great savings

[Fitzy]

Using Skype, from a PC, is cheaper than that .. only 4 or 5 pence a message. I never got on well with Chika, which seemed to upset my PC.

I had Skype set up so that messages appeared to come from my Philippines phone ... this meant that replies only cost 1 peso.

Go to settings and change port # to 80

[pennybarry]

I don't use cards except if emegency. I used VOIP calls and my family can use my VOIP account to call me here for FREE.

I use chikka for text for free sometimes.

I have also my Skype. It is also cheaper.

If I am not at home and no internet access, I use Telediscount.

Oftentimes, I use Email and offline messages