On Thu, 03 Jul 2003 01:51:14 GMT, "Andy M --Tampa Bay--"
<nospamandym@yahoo.com> wrote:

>hello. i'm trying to find a cheap way to call the USA (landline & mobile)
>from my local BT landline. I can call 0800 (not 0870/0845 ) numbers for
>free, so would prefer using that method. Any suggestions welcome.
>TIA.
>

I'm not sure I know (or perhaps you don't know!) what you mean. You
are obviously going to have to pay for these calls in some way!

I think you might not understand that there are two main ways of
making a call to the US (other than direct with BT):

1) Using an 0800 number (or a 4 digit code) to connect to a service
provider with whom you open an account and to whom you make payments
for the service. You then dial the US number.

2) Using a 'premium' rated number for which the service provider gets
paid by BT i.e. you pay BT for the 0870 or 0845 (or whatever) call on
your BT bill and BT pays a proportion of that to the service provider.
You pay the service provider nothing. You simply call the service
provider and then you dial the US number as in 1) above.

Unless you are making a lot of very short calls (i.e. very abnormal
usage) or you want to call during the day then it is usually far less
expensive to use an 0845, 0870 or 0844 number. www.telediscount.co.uk
are generally the cheapest for calls to the US in the evening. They
quote an 0844 number (2p/min) for calls at all times but they don't
say that in the evening (after 6pm) you can also use their 0845 2 445
445 number (1p/min from a BT landline).

So in summary:

Weekdays before 6pm use (0844) 4620620 (2p/min)

Weekdays after 6pm and weekends use (0845) 2445445 (1p/min)

Don't use phone cards unless you don't have access to a BT landline.
They are usually rip offs.


Peter

Do you have high speed internet. If so, you can get an incoming US
phoneline VOIP. Cheap calls out, and free calls in.

Stu

"Andy M --Tampa Bay--" <nospamandym@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4P1Na.2990$ic1.58032@twister.tampabay.rr.com. ..
> > >hello. i'm trying to find a cheap way to call the USA (landline &
mobile)
> > >from my local BT landline. I can call 0800 (not 0870/0845 ) numbers for
> > >free, so would prefer using that method. Any suggestions welcome.
> > >TIA.
> > >
> >
> > I'm not sure I know (or perhaps you don't know!) what you mean. You
> > are obviously going to have to pay for these calls in some way!
> >
> > I think you might not understand that there are two main ways of
> > making a call to the US (other than direct with BT):
>
> maybe i didn't make it very clear what my present situation is. I rent,
> along with 3 other people, a house and the BT phone line is owned by the
> landlord. he has blocked us from calling out unless its an 0800 number. So
> the only access i have to call out is using an 0800 number. also, i am on
o2
> PAYG so no free minutes, and i hardly use the mobile much.
>
> > 1) Using an 0800 number (or a 4 digit code) to connect to a service
> > provider with whom you open an account and to whom you make payments
> > for the service. You then dial the US number.
>
> That's what I'm talking about...
>
> > 2) Using a 'premium' rated number for which the service provider gets
> > paid by BT i.e. you pay BT for the 0870 or 0845 (or whatever) call on
> > your BT bill and BT pays a proportion of that to the service provider.
> > You pay the service provider nothing. You simply call the service
> > provider and then you dial the US number as in 1) above.
> >
> can't do this.
>
>