... in response to Telephone - USA TO RUSSIA, posted by RfB on Sep 3, 2005

We've been using noblecom for about 4 years now and the connections and quality is getting worse instead of better through the years.The only thing that they seem to have improved is their ability to sell more service by "re-charging" your existing cards...

... in response to Looking for PC To Telephone - USA TO RUS..., posted by RickM on Sep 2, 2005

We have been using Discall.com for several years with little or no problems to St. Petersburg, Taupse,Volgograd Russia and anywhere in the good old USA. Rates are very cheap, and saving the access numbers on the speed-dial makes it easy. We have a local access number for Discall, and it's actually cheaper for my wife to call her family in Russia, than it is to call my family an hour away.

... in response to Looking for PC To Telephone - USA TO RUS..., posted by RickM on Sep 2, 2005


There's many options ....

For starters you can check out Skype.com

They skypeout service is OK to Belarus fixed line ... mobile it's more doubtfull at least with the short experience I have until now.

For SkypeOut
http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/

Their rates:
http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/rates/

Ukraine rates is here:
http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/rates/all_rates.html#listing-U

But there's many PC / standalone solutions around

Also you should consider a "semi-solution" like this:
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=24046
http://www.dualphone.net/ (the homepage)
or just a USB handset that has some soundimproving features and doesn't rely on the quality of your soundcard (important)
Many if not all soundcards that is "built-in" on the motherboard of your PC don't quite add up
But there's many options.

Just as an example here's the rates of Broadvoice

http://www.broadvoice.com/rateplans_international_li.html

Another cute thing is that you sign a VOIP service in say russia so she can call you at a cheaper rate ;-)

There's many ways to Rome

... in response to Looking for PC To Telephone - USA TO RUS..., posted by RickM on Sep 2, 2005

I've been pretty happy with: http://www.opexinternetvoice.com/agents.asp?name=cognigenws&id=expresspinld
Even though the pre-paid card costs are a little lower, the call quality has been more consistent.

... in response to Looking for PC To Telephone - USA TO RUS..., posted by RickM on Sep 2, 2005

You may want to check out net2phone.com.  I have used them for several years.  They offer many telecom services.  I have a calling card from them and have used it to call the Ukraine for $0.15.min -- no other chanrges -- if you talk one minute it is $0.15.  They have 1-800 access (slightly higher cost) or local access numbers in major cities.  I have always gotten through without being disconnected.  They also have PC-to-Phone and PC-to-PC calling -- check the web site for costs and the software you can download.  Payment is easy -- just give them a credit card and you can even set your account up to refresh automatically if your account balacne drops below $5.  Good Luck

Anybody know a good pc to telephone service for calling russia (or ukraine) from USA?
Seems calling cards are getting outtahand with rates and quality really is inferior for costs...
Appreciate anyone's recent experiences...
Thanx in advance...RickM

... in response to Re: Re-entry on extended green card, posted by Ray on Sep 2, 2005

Unfortunately I have been trying to get an appointment through the USCIS InfoPass system for almost one week and it always says there are no appointments available.  I called down there and left a message 4 days ago that was never returned regarding this and today we went there personally and were turned away.  I told them about the problem with InfoPass and the response was "we hear that often and that is no excuse", they refused to listen.

When we arrived back home I called to the USCIS central number and they blame it on hurricane Katrina.  Apparently I am missing something because I don't remember any service center or computer center residing in the affected area.

... in response to Re-entry on extended green card, posted by pamoshtnik on Sep 2, 2005

That “letter” extending her Green Card is Form G-854. It’s one of those carbon-less mailers about 10x6 and looks like a piece of junk mail. It should be carried with her Green Card but if you can’t find it, I would make an InfoPass on-line appointment at your nearest CIS office. If she takes her valid passport, Green Card,  and the Receipt Number for the I-751 with her, they can stamp her passport for her to show that her I-551 has been extended.

Yes, you are correct that the Green Card extension will show in the computer when she clears immigration upon return to the States. However, she may have problems boarding the plane overseas if her Green Card is expired and she has no other proof of extension. The airline people don’t have access to the same computer files that immigration has at the POE.

My wife traveled overseas while her Green Card was on extension pending the I-751 approval and didn’t have any trouble returning with the expired card and the G-854.

Ray

My wife was issued a green card with conditional status expiring in June this year but we filed the I-751 in plenty of time and were sent a letter extending the expiration to June of next year.  We are leaving for Europe soon and neither of us can locate this letter showing the extension.

Has anybody heard of or have any experience with re-entry into the U.S. when the green card shows and expired date?

It seems to me that the extended date would come up on thier computer terminal upon passing the green card through the reader but what would seem logical does not mean the government works that way.

... in response to It's quiet....too quiet, posted by LP on Sep 7, 2005

Nope, I don’t think I ever drank paint thinner… LOL!

LP, I don’t know why but I had a mental picture of you that was more like the guy from South Dakota but maybe a tad older.

Me? I guess I look a lot like the guy from Pelican Bay :-)