phils calling card quality

[kev_n_jena 89]

Hi Phils residents,

Just wondering, if you have a partner in the USA do they ever uses calling cards? I bought 20$ worth of cards online one time and the quality was so poor I didn't even use up the minutes. We couldn't understand each other with all the echoes.

I'm wondering if there are better quality services out there. I searched for calling card reviews for the phils but haven't had any luck. I've been using my CP at 20 cents per min. with my international plan but now my parents want to call us when I'm there in phils and they don't have the international plan on their phone service.

I'm taking my phone with me so I will have one in the states while in other airports. Last time I left it with them and its a nightmare using payphones.

Just looking for good quality phone card with less echo for phils calls. Price is not the most important thing, it's quality.

Kevin

[smoke20 0]

we've had good luck w/ owtel. its got a good quality signal.

http://www.owtel.com/us/services/idd.html

[CountryBoy 0]

I use mobilecaller.com .. the call quality is good, the price is reasonable, it is very easy to make calls, and you can reload the card online very easily.

The process ..

goto http://www.mobilecaller.com

click on "philippines" on the right side of the screen

click on "select" under "mobile asia" at the far right (the 10 cent option)

enter your email address and password

... the rest of initial setup is self explanatory ..

to setup the speed dial entries, change your security code, and reload the card simply login with the email address and password that you supplied earlier ..

to make calls, put the toll free access number in your phone, call it .. enter the security code .. enter the speed dial number followed by the # sign .. (for example if you make your security code 123 and your speed dial is 1 then you would dial the 800 number, wait for someome to talk then push 1231# and it will connect fairly quickly)

I have in my speed dial numbers ..

1 Mylene globe cell phone

2 Mylene smart cell phone

3 Mylene's housekeepers phone

4 SLEC

5 US Embassy Manila

so much easier than entering all of those numbers.

Hope this has been of some help!

CB

a couple of bad thing about the card, it bills on 3 minute cycles which is bad if you will make multiple short phone calls .. also, if you load with less than $20 there is a fee associated with the load

Edited July 1, 2007 by CountryBoy

[sunandmoon 450]

I used Sarimonok One. Yazi is now using it to call family and friends. the rate is more expensive, but the quality is good and only charged for time used. I know some have had good experience with mobilecaller, but I would not personally recommend it. I was constantly being charged at a higher rate than the plan I signed up for and got tired of calling customer service for credit.

[CountryBoy 0]

I used Sarimonok One. Yazi is now using it to call family and friends. the rate is more expensive, but the quality is good and only charged for time used. I know some have had good experience with mobilecaller, but I would not personally recommend it. I was constantly being charged at a higher rate than the plan I signed up for and got tired of calling customer service for credit.

Kevin,

Your cell phone international rates are lower than sarimanok one rates. 23 cents to phillipine cell phone.

http://www.tfc-na.com/telecom/sarimanok/sa..._one/index.html

Instructions from the link above ..

To use your Sarimanok One card dial the toll free number listed on the back of your card and listen for instructions. You will be asked for your card number, pin, and the phone number you wish to call. For domestic calls, dial 1 plus the area code and phone number. For international calls, dial 011 plus the country code, city code, and phone number. To place another call, do not hang up. Press the pound key twice and wait for instructions. This information is also on the back of your phone card.

seems like alot of number punching considering you want something easy for your mother to use.

I won't deny that I have called mobilecaller.com for a credit on one occasion, but for all of the time that it has worked great for me that was a minor inconvenience.

I did forget to mention one thing on my previous post. You can list multiple phones numbers that can use your mobile caller account, simply log on, add them in your control panel, and give them their personal pin number .. caller ID recognizes the number as an allowed user. You have to do this for the phone that your mother will be using if you go with this option.

CB

Edited July 1, 2007 by CountryBoy

[crambajoy 0]

http://www.alosmart.com

[CountryBoy 0]

http://www.alosmart.com

Kevin,

This one looks cheaper by almost half .. 6 cents a minute but it doesn't state if that is calling a land line or cell phone. There is a HUGE price difference with other cards that I have used when it comes to that. Again alot of numbers to enter it would seem.

From the website for the Real Minutes Card (cheapest option) ..

Real Minutes

1. DIAL:

(866) 203-5072 English

(866) 203-5072 Spanish

2. ENTER: Your PIN#

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

3. ENTER: Your Destination.

USA & Canada:

1+Area Code + Telephone

OTHER COUNTRIES:

011+Country Code+City Code+Telephone.

3 MINUTE ROUNDING. $.49 WEEKLY MAINTENANCE FEE APPLIES. EXPIRES 3 MONTHS FROM PURCHASE. TAXES APPLY REDUCING THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MINUTES. RATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

I know that you are leaving for Manila Tuesday morning, so I am trying to help you make the most educated decision when it comes to this issue since your mother will be the one calling you in Phils.

By the way, if you choose to go with mobilecaller.com you might want your SO to get you a sim card now and put a load on it so that you can enter that number as a speed dial number online before you leave .. you could even have your fiancee put the sim in her phone and let your mother go thru the process of calling her so that she knows the process.

[ksu1 0]

Hi Phils residents,

Just wondering, if you have a partner in the USA do they ever uses calling cards? I bought 20$ worth of cards online one time and the quality was so poor I didn't even use up the minutes. We couldn't understand each other with all the echoes.

I'm wondering if there are better quality services out there. I searched for calling card reviews for the phils but haven't had any luck. I've been using my CP at 20 cents per min. with my international plan but now my parents want to call us when I'm there in phils and they don't have the international plan on their phone service.

I'm taking my phone with me so I will have one in the states while in other airports. Last time I left it with them and its a nightmare using payphones.

Just looking for good quality phone card with less echo for phils calls. Price is not the most important thing, it's quality.

Kevin

WWW.MASTERBELL.COM

[CountryBoy 0]

Hi Phils residents,

Just wondering, if you have a partner in the USA do they ever uses calling cards? I bought 20$ worth of cards online one time and the quality was so poor I didn't even use up the minutes. We couldn't understand each other with all the echoes.

I'm wondering if there are better quality services out there. I searched for calling card reviews for the phils but haven't had any luck. I've been using my CP at 20 cents per min. with my international plan but now my parents want to call us when I'm there in phils and they don't have the international plan on their phone service.

I'm taking my phone with me so I will have one in the states while in other airports. Last time I left it with them and its a nightmare using payphones.

Just looking for good quality phone card with less echo for phils calls. Price is not the most important thing, it's quality.

Kevin

WWW.MASTERBELL.COM

Looks like a good choice as well; reasonable rates to cell phones, pinless dialing for some cards, some of the fine print is a little questionable on some cards (maintenance fees, etc.), cannot find any cards with speed dial option but that isn't so say that it isn't available .. if that is not an option, then your mother will still have to enter the full number into the phone when prompted (ex. 01163906232....), I have no first hand knowledge of the call quality so I cannot comment on echos etc.

[Angel P 0]

can we use these calling cards as evidence of ongoing relationship?

[Atencio 43]

I hated using the calling cards. Sometimes they work, sometimes they dont.

I use Rebtel. No fuss. No hassle. No pin numbers. Just add money to account.

Call to cell phone is $0.13. My account is set up to reload $10.00 when money runs out.

[Filipinawife0210 15]

Laya cards are good too. 8 cents/minute landline or 14 cents/minute for cell. Is rechargeable, and has speed dial. Call quality is better than most!

can we use these calling cards as evidence of ongoing relationship?

Nope. There's no written proof of the numbers called.

[TravellingNomad 12]

can we use these calling cards as evidence of ongoing relationship?

you might be able to on this service... http://www.netinternet.net/residential/DialAround_service.html#

you have to sign up and can re-charge in $20 increments online or by calling their customer service. no expiration on your credits/minutes. no hidden fees. i think it's 12 cents per minute calling a landline. call quality is great (from my own experience). and when you sign into your account, you have a link on usage. and it will give you a list of the number(s) you dialed/called using your account and how many minutes you talked with that person at the number you called. i used to use this until i found another calling service that works for me for my wife's bayantel line in the Philippines.

Edited July 6, 2010 by TravellingNomad

[JORDANTONI09 10]

I actually do it the other way around with my fiance. I use SUN Cellular IDD prepaid cards to call him. 100 pesos lasts about 40 minutes and the line never breaks off. Jordan's an AT&T subscriber and we've never had any connection problems. I hope this helps.

Toni

[Scott and Mhay 57]

We use rebtel...I think it is a pretty good deal and easy to use. 13 cents a min to a cell phone and 11 cents a min to a landline.