Flat rate phone service?

[Dogwood_Poet 16]

I see all these ads for a 'low monthly rate to the Philippines' for unlimited calling. Has anyone used them?

I see some which gives the family in the Philippines a dedicated cell phone and you can call back and forth as much as you want.

There are no land lines to where Kathlene's family lives so that is the way we would have to go.

No land phone means no internet acess as well unless you get the wireless service from Smart and I don't think they reach there yet either.

Or should I just invest in phone company stock and let my wife drive up the profits?

[only4mikki 1]

I see all these ads for a 'low monthly rate to the Philippines' for unlimited calling. Has anyone used them?

I see some which gives the family in the Philippines a dedicated cell phone and you can call back and forth as much as you want.

There are no land lines to where Kathlene's family lives so that is the way we would have to go.

No land phone means no internet acess as well unless you get the wireless service from Smart and I don't think they reach there yet either.

Or should I just invest in phone company stock and let my wife drive up the profits?

I see all these ads for a 'low monthly rate to the Philippines' for unlimited calling. Has anyone used them?

I see some which gives the family in the Philippines a dedicated cell phone and you can call back and forth as much as you want.

There are no land lines to where Kathlene's family lives so that is the way we would have to go.

No land phone means no internet acess as well unless you get the wireless service from Smart and I don't think they reach there yet either.

Or should I just invest in phone company stock and let my wife drive up the profits?

We use Globe, she has one sim card I have the other...she can call using Globes IDD card which gives her 40 minutes for 100p and she can text way cheaper than you. The Globe family plan that we have gives me a sim card here in the states that she texts me on...but there is no cheap way for you to text her or call her...Sprint international rate plan cost $4 per month in addition to their plans, which allows you to call for about .20 per min and each text about the same...the best way to go is get the Globe SIM cards and have her mail you one to put into a gprs g3 type phone, which she can call you anytime for cheap...know anything else?

The phone cards suck always hidden costs....we also have no internet nor land line in PI....but can she get to the internet cafe where you both can see and talk to each other via SKYPE or Yahoo Messenger computer to computer.

Hope that helps

M

[marriedtomrg 141]

Where are your wife's folks from?

Smart Bro's postpaid wireless broadband service doesn't require a phone line. Techs come in to install an antenna on the roof of your in-laws' house and that is directly connected to a PC. It's quite fast. I've had mine for over 2 years now, and there has been hardly any outage in terms of service. Not bad for Php 999 per month.

I use MagicJack to call my husband. It's very easy to use. You attach it to a USB port, typically, but it is even better when you plug it into a powered USB hub (no dropped calls). You register for a U.S. number and connect any telephone handset to the dongle...you're all set. There is a US$ 20 registration fee that is due ONE YEAR after you register. In effect, your in-laws will have a U.S. number and all their calls to you would be local. They can also call Canada at no extra cost. You can call them and they can call you for as long as the PC is on.

[Piso Envy 5]

http://www.pinoyphone.net/ Is an great option IF you have a high speed connection, and they are able to to use a Sun Cellular Sim Card and are able to buy the P500 load cards that permit unlimited monthly outgoing calls to other Sun customers. There may be a prepaid option available for SUN service also by now.

What happens is that you buy a pre-configured VoIP phone from them. You plug this phone into your xDSL/cable router. Your VoIP phone is programmed with an unlimited calling SUN to SUN Cellular phone number. Since you both have SUN unlimited service you can talk back and forth for the small monthly fee of about $40 to you and P500 to them in the PI. Email ATTN Edwin at the address on their web site about the SUN Cellular option.

Their more popular options are a local land phone number in Manila (expanded to other areas) where callers from land lines can call you direct and for no additional charge. I understand this is not this option for you, but their Sun cellular number could be, if your PI folks are covered by SUN and can buy the P500 cards every month for their cell phones.

http://www.aspen-communication.com/PinoyCalls/PC_rates.html

Is another option with their bag phones, they do not have nationwide coverage but if they cover your area I have heard that it is a reasonably dependable service.

The tariffs on inbound calls to the PI are around $0.13 per minute. These are the only Internet routed services that I am aware of.

[Piso Envy 5]

Where are your wife's folks from?

Smart Bro's postpaid wireless broadband service doesn't require a phone line. Techs come in to install an antenna on the roof of your in-laws' house and that is directly connected to a PC. It's quite fast. I've had mine for over 2 years now, and there has been hardly any outage in terms of service. Not bad for Php 999 per month.

I use MagicJack to call my husband. It's very easy to use. You attach it to a USB port, typically, but it is even better when you plug it into a powered USB hub (no dropped calls). You register for a U.S. number and connect any telephone handset to the dongle...you're all set. There is a US$ 20 registration fee that is due ONE YEAR after you register. In effect, your in-laws will have a U.S. number and all their calls to you would be local. They can also call Canada at no extra cost. You can call them and they can call you for as long as the PC is on.

Can you use a Vonage type adapter or VoIP phone on their end in lieu of a PC and hub/router?

[B and C 1]

Where are your wife's folks from?

Smart Bro's postpaid wireless broadband service doesn't require a phone line. Techs come in to install an antenna on the roof of your in-laws' house and that is directly connected to a PC. It's quite fast. I've had mine for over 2 years now, and there has been hardly any outage in terms of service. Not bad for Php 999 per month.

I use MagicJack to call my husband. It's very easy to use. You attach it to a USB port, typically, but it is even better when you plug it into a powered USB hub (no dropped calls). You register for a U.S. number and connect any telephone handset to the dongle...you're all set. There is a US$ 20 registration fee that is due ONE YEAR after you register. In effect, your in-laws will have a U.S. number and all their calls to you would be local. They can also call Canada at no extra cost. You can call them and they can call you for as long as the PC is on.

Can you use a Vonage type adapter or VoIP phone on their end in lieu of a PC and hub/router?

I use OneSuite.com as a dial-around service. It is a pay as you go, no contract required. If I call from my PC, it is $ .125 a minute to a land line in the Phil. It is $ .165 to a cell phone. The rates change sometimes from month to month, but I have found them to be really good. If I call China, the calls are only $ .018 a minute from the PC, to either land line or cell. You can also use a local access number for a slightly higher rate or a toll number for higher still. I have no local access where I live, so I call form the PC or using the toll number.

It works very well and they have lots of options.

[john & jean 37]

WE USED ASPEN COMMUNICATION.COM. SEVERAL PLANS THEY ARE GREAT........

[bayojona3231 4]

I see all these ads for a 'low monthly rate to the Philippines' for unlimited calling. Has anyone used them?

I see some which gives the family in the Philippines a dedicated cell phone and you can call back and forth as much as you want.

There are no land lines to where Kathlene's family lives so that is the way we would have to go.

No land phone means no internet acess as well unless you get the wireless service from Smart and I don't think they reach there yet either.

Or should I just invest in phone company stock and let my wife drive up the profits?

Magic jack is the way to go. We have been using that for 2 years.It is very cheap. My wife use skype and yahoo messenger too. At first, I paid for a 2 year plan with smart ;but now PLDT has a good plan that includes a landline and dsl for only P999. You cannot beat that.The service is excellent. WE have a US number in the province plus we use it to call back to the US when we vist the Philippines..

Good luck.

[ciahjason4ever 0]

we also used magic jasck me and my fiancee always talk on there with his family also!its very affordable

[neenuh 0]

yup, magic jack is awesome! a few months back, before i moved to the USA, i asked about magic jack here in VJ, and i received great reviews about the product... i think it works really well, however, it needs a fast and stable internet connection. what i like about it is that i get to talk to my family back home for HOURS, with no delay whatsoever.

[Dogwood_Poet 16]

Where Kathlene's family lives there is NO LAND PHONES, so no internet service.

So unless wireless internet or satellite is reasonable, no Skype, Magic Jack, etc.

The only options I have found are the bag phone companies (flat rate for calls to and from a provided bag phone), or the dedicated cell phone if service is available there.

Edited August 24, 2009 by Dogwood_Poet