Court Farm, Exford, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 7LY
0845 226 7154
+44 (0) 1643 831207
email: reservations@courtfarm.co.uk
How to make low cost phone calls abroad
This page gives you information about how to make (relatively) cheap phone calls abroad. It is intended for UK readers (those of you outside the UK should search the Internet for information relating to your country).
Please note that we have absolutely no connection financially or otherwise with the service providers and the information below is given in good faith to help you reduce the cost of calls to other countries. We cannot accept any responsibility for the advice given. We receive no payment for this advice.
Sorry about all the "waffle" to start with, but if you are not familiar with how to do this please read on and we promise you'll find it worthwhile. We often use the system to get in touch with our foreign visitors and we have found it very useful.
The information relates to BT "landlines" but is also applicable to other "landline" providers and to mobile users (indeed, some mobile users may find that their calls are completely free of charge (just using up their monthly minutes) - for mobiles have a look round on the Internet for "cheap international calls" or "free international calls").
How does it work?
You dial a "premium rate" number followed by the international country code and number you want, usually ending the dialling with the "#" key (so that the system recognises the end of your input and doesn't waste time waiting for more numbers). Please don't be put off by the "premium rate" number - all this really means is that you will be charged differently to your normal phone rate but it may be at a very low rate indeed (it can be as low as 1p per minute or even free for some mobile users)!
The facts
The service providers behind the "premium rate" numbers negotiate rates with international phone carriers and make money by charging you slightly more than it costs them. They use "premium rate" numbers solely because that is the only way they can charge you an appropriate cost for the call. They pay your phone provider X and charge you X + Y by using these numbers. They are (usually) regulated by OFTEL and are perfectly respectable. Your itemised phone bill will just show the "premium rate" phone number and the charges for using it. The remainder of any call charges to the final destination is down to those service providers so you know exactly how nuch you will be charged before you make the call.
If you are fed up with explanations and just want to get on with it now click here
PLEASE NOTE: We are sorry that a rather sexist banner has recently appeared on this site together with some unwanted pop-ups. Despite this the site still offers valuable and reliable information.
If not, a bit more information... If you use the link above then you will be able to select an appropriate service provider for the country you are trying to dial. I can't guarantee that the site isn't biased towards specific service providers but I believe it gives you a good assessment of the lowest cost service providers. Email them if you have found differently! You can also search for something like "low cost international calls" on google.co.uk and see what you come up with. You'll normally find that whoever you select as the service provider doesn't require you to do do any registration stuff (don't bother with them if they do as it isn't necessary) and will give you a selection of countries you can call (usually anywhere in the world - the link above does give very clear instructions about how to dial via the service provider but don't forget to hit the "#" key after the very last number you dial).
You'll be shown a "premium rate" number to dial for the country you want to connect to and the total price per minute that it will cost - this is usually based on BT rates for the "premium rate" number. If you are not with BT you need to find out what rate your phone company charges for the "premium rate" number (although it should not be far off what BT charges!) to see how much your call will cost. It's worth searching around for a bit to find the cheapest service provider - for example we found rates to Egypt varying from 8p to 15p per minute (BT's were over £1.00). Any rates shown by the service provider should be the total of what you will pay per minute and should include VAT - absolutely nothing extra to you at all - what you see is the total of what you will be charged per minute. We have found that it doesn't matter whether you're phoning a "landline" or a mobile in the foreign country, the cost is the same.
Note that charging will start as soon as the "premium rate" number connects so make sure that you dial your international number quickly - there will usually be a bit of chit-chat to you once you have connected to the "premium rate" number but it should be very brief and just telling you what to do in the simplest terms (i.e. how to dial the international number - about 10 seconds). We have never found it excessive, but if you do don't ever use that service provider again!
We have always found the line quality excellent - as good (or even better) than phoning next door. If you find different either try again or use another service provider - it may be them or it may be in the country you are dialling.
Feedback
We are happy to receive your comments regarding this page - please let us know if you found it helpful and, if you think we could improve it, let us know how.
Return to home page Snowdrop Cottage Snowdrop Cottage Availability Rowan and Mountain Ash Cottages Rowan and Mountain Ash Cottages Availability How to find us Our Arabian Stud More information about Exmoor Avoiding 0870. 0845 etc charges Low cost calls abroad
This page gives you information about how to make (relatively) cheap phone calls abroad. It is intended for UK readers (those of you outside the UK should search the Internet for information relating to your country).
Please note that we have absolutely no connection financially or otherwise with the service providers and the information below is given in good faith to help you reduce the cost of calls to other countries. We cannot accept any responsibility for the advice given. We receive no payment for this advice.
Sorry about all the "waffle" to start with, but if you are not familiar with how to do this please read on and we promise you'll find it worthwhile. We often use the system to get in touch with our foreign visitors and we have found it very useful.
The information relates to BT "landlines" but is also applicable to other "landline" providers and to mobile users (indeed, some mobile users may find that their calls are completely free of charge (just using up their monthly minutes) - for mobiles have a look round on the Internet for "cheap international calls" or "free international calls").
How does it work?
You dial a "premium rate" number followed by the international country code and number you want, usually ending the dialling with the "#" key (so that the system recognises the end of your input and doesn't waste time waiting for more numbers). Please don't be put off by the "premium rate" number - all this really means is that you will be charged differently to your normal phone rate but it may be at a very low rate indeed (it can be as low as 1p per minute or even free for some mobile users)!
The facts
The service providers behind the "premium rate" numbers negotiate rates with international phone carriers and make money by charging you slightly more than it costs them. They use "premium rate" numbers solely because that is the only way they can charge you an appropriate cost for the call. They pay your phone provider X and charge you X + Y by using these numbers. They are (usually) regulated by OFTEL and are perfectly respectable. Your itemised phone bill will just show the "premium rate" phone number and the charges for using it. The remainder of any call charges to the final destination is down to those service providers so you know exactly how nuch you will be charged before you make the call.
If you are fed up with explanations and just want to get on with it now click here
PLEASE NOTE: We are sorry that a rather sexist banner has recently appeared on this site together with some unwanted pop-ups. Despite this the site still offers valuable and reliable information.
If not, a bit more information... If you use the link above then you will be able to select an appropriate service provider for the country you are trying to dial. I can't guarantee that the site isn't biased towards specific service providers but I believe it gives you a good assessment of the lowest cost service providers. Email them if you have found differently! You can also search for something like "low cost international calls" on google.co.uk and see what you come up with. You'll normally find that whoever you select as the service provider doesn't require you to do do any registration stuff (don't bother with them if they do as it isn't necessary) and will give you a selection of countries you can call (usually anywhere in the world - the link above does give very clear instructions about how to dial via the service provider but don't forget to hit the "#" key after the very last number you dial).
You'll be shown a "premium rate" number to dial for the country you want to connect to and the total price per minute that it will cost - this is usually based on BT rates for the "premium rate" number. If you are not with BT you need to find out what rate your phone company charges for the "premium rate" number (although it should not be far off what BT charges!) to see how much your call will cost. It's worth searching around for a bit to find the cheapest service provider - for example we found rates to Egypt varying from 8p to 15p per minute (BT's were over £1.00). Any rates shown by the service provider should be the total of what you will pay per minute and should include VAT - absolutely nothing extra to you at all - what you see is the total of what you will be charged per minute. We have found that it doesn't matter whether you're phoning a "landline" or a mobile in the foreign country, the cost is the same.
Note that charging will start as soon as the "premium rate" number connects so make sure that you dial your international number quickly - there will usually be a bit of chit-chat to you once you have connected to the "premium rate" number but it should be very brief and just telling you what to do in the simplest terms (i.e. how to dial the international number - about 10 seconds). We have never found it excessive, but if you do don't ever use that service provider again!
We have always found the line quality excellent - as good (or even better) than phoning next door. If you find different either try again or use another service provider - it may be them or it may be in the country you are dialling.
Feedback
We are happy to receive your comments regarding this page - please let us know if you found it helpful and, if you think we could improve it, let us know how.
Return to home page Snowdrop Cottage Snowdrop Cottage Availability Rowan and Mountain Ash Cottages Rowan and Mountain Ash Cottages Availability How to find us Our Arabian Stud More information about Exmoor Avoiding 0870. 0845 etc charges Low cost calls abroad
