calling cards to PH

[crashfirepm53]

Anyone have a good site for calling cards or a specific calling card to use? So far, most are kinda a rip. They advertise say 9.5 cents a minute but add in the taxes, fees like connection fee, termination fee, too long a car fee it ends up about .20 cents a minute or so.
Since I usually call her from work and at night, a calling card seems best for now.

[Ray]

There are literally dozens of calling cards for the Philippines. They are pretty much alike but the available brand names change constantly.

Pay no attention at all to the advertised minutes you get! You just have to try some and time then to tell what the real cost is. The cards we use end up costing around 15-16 cents per minute to a cell phone and about half as much to a land line.

Instead of purchasing on line, you may get a better deal at your local Asian market or liquor store. Look for local retailers who discount their cards. We buy them at the local Filipino supermarket at 20% off of face value and a Filipino bakery discounts them 10%. If you buy online, look for discounted prices.

Always buy the lowest denomination ($5) and try to use it up in one shot.

Some cards have terrible connections with frequent disconnects, so stay away from those.

If a visa petition is a strong possibility, keep in mind that you will have no credible evidence of phone communication (important!) with your lady if you use only prepaid calling cards.

Ray

[robert angel]

We use a site that routes calls thru Hong Kong to the RP, called Owtel. It's far from perfect, but at 21 cents a minute from cell to cell, it's about as good as we can get. My wife's made several calls already this AM--we're sending the whole family on a spree to Davao--to the malls--out to eat at Banoks and to see the 3 D movie 'Avatar'.  They're so excited! We really had to drill into them to spend the money on FUN (not 'practical') things, finally conceding that getting some new pajamas for her parents could be a 'fun' thing to do.

Anyway--Owtel gives you thorough records for USCIS and if you have dropped calls or totally crappy connections for a few minute call, they take them off the bill if you take the time to call.

it's just nice to have those paper records for the USCIS along with your Yahoo archived chats, which you should be saving to print. I have used AT&T in the past--I think they were 23 cents a min last time, plus a $3.50 a month international charge, but the connection's are usually good. I was surprised their rates were so low-might be a bundle deal.

I think we're going to drop AT&T and my landline and just go with the Magic Jack and cell phones instead

[piglett]

I get my calling cards through    http://www.pinsonsale.com/
check it out



piglett

[robert angel]

Seems to me the only way you can make out monetarily on those phone cards is if you use the entire card up with each single call.Otherwise they shave minutes, add other charges and you end up with much, much less time than you tend to expect.

[piglett]

Seems to me the only way you can make out monetarily on those phone cards is if you use the entire card up with each single call.Otherwise they shave minutes, add other charges and you end up with much, much less time than you tend to expect.

well yes & no if you use a card 1 time & then let it sit for say 2 or 3 weeks then yes they will have taken quite a bit of time off from it. I don't think it really matters all that much if you intend to call your girl every couple of days though.


piglett