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International Calling - Skype/Alternates and Suggestions
International Calling - Skype/Alternates and Suggestions
Hello, I will be arriving in Singapore in one week. However, I am unsure what is the best method to call back home, Canada. I will have internet and as such thought that some VOIP method would be the cheapest. Could someone comment on their experience with this.
- durain
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if you do a little bit of searching on this forum, you will find the answer. 
http://www.singaporeexpats.com/forum/ftopic50199.html

http://www.singaporeexpats.com/forum/ftopic50199.html
there're heaps of voip services. skype's just popular so if the people back home know a lil, they can use skype on the pc and your calls would still be free.
there're subscription-based services in north america which allows "roaming" use (some friends of mine use vonage).
otherwise, check out that thread listed above for another recommendation. someone even did a cost comparison of it!
i'm sure there're heaps more, but i wouldn't be sure on their reliability. i'm sure skype's pretty competitively priced at the end of the day.
there're subscription-based services in north america which allows "roaming" use (some friends of mine use vonage).
otherwise, check out that thread listed above for another recommendation. someone even did a cost comparison of it!
i'm sure there're heaps more, but i wouldn't be sure on their reliability. i'm sure skype's pretty competitively priced at the end of the day.
I call Canada regularly for business, using either SkypeOut (if I can be bothered to fiddle about with headsets) or Phoenix 1516 (if I can't). Both work fine and cost about the same, that is to say, dirt-cheap: a 30-minute call at night (day in .ca) is around S$1.
Phoenix has more consistent line quality, but they screwed up my billing once and sorting that out was rather painful. (My bill had three simultaneous calls from my only registered phone to the same number; their first response was that I'd somehow called three times and put the other two on hold before proceeding with the third!
)
SkypeOut and especially plain-old Skype occasionally have problems with the line, but 90% of the time it's just fine. Skype's huge advantage for me as a heavy traveler, though, is that it works anywhere -- I can make SkypeOut calls from anywhere with an Internet connection for precisely the same price, instead of paying exorbitant roaming fees. The one quirk is that you have to top up in advance, instead of just settling your bill afterward.
Phoenix has more consistent line quality, but they screwed up my billing once and sorting that out was rather painful. (My bill had three simultaneous calls from my only registered phone to the same number; their first response was that I'd somehow called three times and put the other two on hold before proceeding with the third!

SkypeOut and especially plain-old Skype occasionally have problems with the line, but 90% of the time it's just fine. Skype's huge advantage for me as a heavy traveler, though, is that it works anywhere -- I can make SkypeOut calls from anywhere with an Internet connection for precisely the same price, instead of paying exorbitant roaming fees. The one quirk is that you have to top up in advance, instead of just settling your bill afterward.
Vaguely heretical thoughts on travel technology at Gyrovague
- sundaymorningstaple
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As most of my calls are to the US, I use SkypeOut's subscription service but only for a single country. It costs me S$5.67/mo for about 12 hours of phone calls a months 8x1hr. But it's a double savings for me & my family as I don't do much traveling anymore as I work here instead of offshore now. I have my SkypeOut phone number set to the same area code as my parents so they only pay their local flat rate and the call to me is a local call. As I use a Win Mobile device for a cell phone they can get me anywhere for nothing so it save them a bundle as well (both are computer challenged and in their 80's). Most everybody else goes PC to PC or PC to PDA.
Last edited by sundaymorningstaple on Mon, 15 Sep 2008 5:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
- sundaymorningstaple
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- Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot
This past week I've noticed it as well. Don't know if the lastest upgrade actually anything to address it or not. Although that's what it was supposed to do.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
- sierra2469alpha
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- Location: Singapore (Finally!)
Guys - if you're having problems with SkypeOut after the last upgrade, do a quick check to ensure you have the latest drivers for your soundcards, webcams, microphones etc. Some people have had problems because of this - seems that Skype really does prefer the drivers to be the latest as at each of their new releases.
Funnily, the last Skype upgrade said it was bug-fixes only - LOL!
HTH, Mr. P
Funnily, the last Skype upgrade said it was bug-fixes only - LOL!
HTH, Mr. P
I checked the website but it says the fere minutes is only limited to landlines and not mobile phones.Cissiboy wrote:with voipstunt you can call for free for 120 days both landline and mobile phones in many countries included USA & Canada
PS: Just top up with 10$ to have (almost) unlimited free calls for 120 days
From their website:
Most of my Onesuite calls are to mobile phones so I guess voipstunt is not for me.Free calls are limited and only valid for landlines in destinations marked as free.
- sundaymorningstaple
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Also, I believe cissiboy is a bit confused because in one sentence he says free and in the next he says almost free. Not quite the same thing.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
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