Call Internationally – Top 5 ways to Make a Quick and Easy International Call

The Pocketdial guide to making that Cheap and Easy Call Abroad

Do you have friends or relatives abroad and find it a challenge to call them? Calling people abroad or calling when you yourself are in a foreign country is costly and often difficult – trying to top up a card for a payphone or battling a bad connection. These are problems of the past, as there are now whole hosts of ways to make calls quick, easy and cheap.  The development of social networking and video conferencing, as well as calling companies such as pocketdial have drastically improved international calling options. Here is our Pocketdial guide to making cheap and easy international calls.

1. Call Internationally through Skype for Free

Skype is a video calling service, which anyone can use on a computer or phone. Video calls on Skype are simple and easy to do. To get an account is simple, install the free Skype call software onto your computer. Next, enter your name and profile information to create a Skype account. You can add friends and relatives who also have a Skype account to your contact list. Then, provided that the person you want to contact is also logged on at the same time as you, you can contact anyone anywhere in the world for free. Skype also has the ability to share the screen, chat and send files. Skype makes money by charging for calls to landlines and mobiles.

2. Video Call through Facebook

Facebook launched video chat in August 2011, it is an additional feature to a standard Facebook account, if you do not have an account, click here. To use make a Facebook video conference, you must set up the facility.  You will be prompted to do so if you try to call a friend or if they try to call you. To call a friend, go to their page/timeline and click call.

3. Call through Facetime with Apple

If you are an Apple user wanting to communicate with other Apple users then Facetime is for you. Facetime is a feature of apple products; iPad, Macbook, iPhone, which allows users to video call one another – free of charge. You can use Facetime from your iPhone in the same way you would if you were making a phone call. You will also get to see the person you are calling. Facetime makes calling from aboard free as you are using the Internet connection not the phone line.

4. Call through Google Plus Hangouts

Google Plus Hangouts are a great feature of Google plus accounts.  If you are not already on Google Plus, click here to get a Google Plus Account. When you log in to Google Hangouts, click on the ‘more’ icon at the bottom left of the screen (last in the menu) and several other options will appear, including Google Hangouts.  In this YouTube video, Wallace and Gromit hangout with their pals on Christmas Day!

Google Plus is similar to Skype as it provides customers with free video messaging technology, yet appears to have fewer connections problems than Skype. As you can see from the video, up tp to ten people can be involved in a conversation at a time making it brilliant for business use. Google Plus Hangouts has many features such as screen and document share and can be used on Android, iPhone and iPad.

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5. Call through Pocket Dial UK

You can call your friends and family abroad using packages from Pocketdial. With Pocketdial UK you do not require a data connection or internet access to call internationally and reliably from landlines and mobiles. You can even set up a speed dial to your phone so that you do not have to dial the Pocket Dial access numbers each time (click here for details).

Family Abroad? Keeping tabs on Travelling Friends or Family

Having a friend or member of the family abroad can be difficult to deal with, especially if it is a son or daughter. They may be seeing the world and having an amazing time. But you may be constantly worrying. There are many ways that you can reassure yourself and be there to help in an emergency. This blog outlines how you can keep in touch via the internet and be there to help and support your friends and family abroad.

Family Abroad - Urban Backpacking Image Credit: Public Domain commons.wikimedia.org

Family Abroad – Urban Backpacking
Image Credit: Public Domain
commons.wikimedia.org

Use Social Media and the internet to keep in touch with Friends and Family Abroad

The internet can now be found all over the world. Even in some of the most remote parts, your travelling friends and family can probably find an internet cafe. Although it will sometimes be a slower connection than they are used to, it will probably be good enough to communicate.

By following your friends and family abroad on Facebook and Twitter, you can easily see their status updates. With modern technology, you will probably be able to see their photos even before they get back! If they are uploading photos as they travel, that is.

Having copies of their Itinerary and Passport

Make sure that you have a copy of your friend or family members travel itinerary. This way, you can know what to expect. There may be times when they cannot get in touch – if they are trecking in the Himalayas, for example. If you have a copy of their trip itinerary, you won’t be worried if this happens!

You can also ensure that your friends and family abroad are safe when they are travelling, if you know which areas or countries they are in.  If you are worried about safety or political issues, you can encourage them to use the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website. This will always be up to date with travel advice and recommend certain areas to avoid. Remember that if there is political unrest, this is often confined to certain areas such as the capital city or borders with other countries. Not all areas of a country are unsafe. So if your friends or family members have done their research, try not to worry too much!

Having a copy of their travel insurance documents and passport can be invaluable in an emergency situation. If their bag is stolen with their passport in it, scanning and emailing a copy of their passport to them may make it easier for them to get a replacement, or get home. During the event of an accident or sickness, it is helpful for you to be able to reassure them and help by phoning the insurance company.

Telephone and Communication

It’s a great idea for your friends or family abroad to get an international SIM card for their mobile. This will make it easier for them to contact you or vice versa. Remember that in poorer countries, phones can easily be stolen. So it is a good idea to get a cheap basic mobile, and leave the iPhone or Smartphone at home whilst travelling!  You can easily buy a SIM card when you are travelling, just walk into the nearest phone shop and they will sell you one or tell you where to go. Mobile top ups are popular in many parts of Africa and Asia. You can often see little booths that will sell you SIMS and phone top ups.

A BT chargecard can be a good idea, especially if you have a son or daughter travelling abroad. It will allow them to make calls from anywhere, and they can be charged to your phone bill or by direct debit.

If your travelling friends or family have a landline where they are, such as a hotel, you can call them using Pocketdial UK. Our calls use a calling account number and therefore have no monthly bills. You can call abroad with Pocketdial UK from just 1p a minute. Do check with your phone provider, e.g. BT, to find out about any additional charges from them.

Bank Details and Online Banking

If you have the bank details of your travelling friends and family at the ready, it will make it easier to transfer money to them in an emergency. You can usually draw money out of a British bank from cashpoints abroad.

If there is no bank or the transfer is not working, Western Union is a good option for international bank transfers.  You send money via Western Union to any receiving country, and attach a password to it. If your friend or family member goes into a Western Union branch with their ID and the password, they will be able to get it.

We hope that you have found this blog helpful is you have friends and family abroad. If you can think of more ways to be prepared for travelling friends and family, do comment on our blog.

 

How do I get my Phone Unlocked? (for international use)

What does a locked phone mean?

When a phone is locked it means that it will only accept SIM cards from a particular network provider. This often means that if you buy a phone from Orange (for example) with an Orange SIM card, that phone will only ever work with other Orange SIM cards. In this article, I will answer the questions ‘Why are phones locked?’ and ‘How do I get my Phone Unlocked?’

Why are phones locked?

Network providers like Orange, O2 or T-Mobile like to lock phones so they can keep hold of customers. Contract phones are often locked so that customers can’t easily change networks before the contract has run out. By locking phones, and therefore forcing customers to stay with them, network providers can attract more customers by offering contract phones at lower prices. Some phones are sold already unlocked, although these are often much more expensive.

How do I get my Phone Unlocked? Photography by Irita Kirsbluma on Flickr (Creative Commons 2.0)

How do I get my Phone Unlocked?
Photography by Irita Kirsbluma on Flickr (Creative Commons 2.0)

How do I get my Phone Unlocked?

This depends on what technology your phone and network provider use. There are two main technologies in mobile phones known as GSM (Global System for Mobiles) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). In most of the world GSM is far more common, but in the US many networks use CDMA. If you have a CDMA phone it is basically impossible to unlock it. This is because CDMA phones don’t use SIM cards, so you can only change phones if your network provider allows it. If you have a GSM phone it is much easier to change phones. Some American providers, such as Verizon, now offer global phones that use both GSM and CDMA, although they still have many restrictions placed on them by the network.

What are the benefits?

Unlocking your phone will allow you to change network provider more easily. This means you can shop around for the best deal, without having to get a new phone. It also has many advantages if you are planning on travelling abroad.

How to unlock your phone:

If you have a normal GSM phone i.e. one that has a SIM card, then unlocking your phone is quite simple. Usually the phone will just require a simple code to be entered, this code can often be obtained either by phoning your network provider, or through a third-party company (for a small fee). However if you are on a long-term contract it is unlikely that your network provider will be willing to give you an unlock code.

Some phones do require a connection to an unlocking device. Some services offer this, as do some high-street mobile phone stores, but usually it is easiest to have this done by a third-party company.

How do I get My Phone Unlocked for International Use?

When you unlock your phone you are then able to use SIM cards from international providers with that phone. This can be very helpful if you are planning to travel abroad. Most networks do provide a roaming data service, but these are often far more expensive than the usual rates. If your phone is unlocked you can replace your usual SIM with a cheap card from whichever country or region you are in. Some providers offer cheap continent-wide coverage in Europe and Asia. Unlocking your phone, and swapping your SIM card out, means you will be able to make much cheaper calls while in other countries. Unfortunately, your phone number will change with each new SIM card.

 

 

Google Hangouts for Keeping in Touch with Family Abroad

When you have friends and family aborad it is always good to find free ways to contact them. Skype is a very popular VOIP (Voice over Interactive Protocol) that allows you to call and video conference friends abroad for free. However, Google Hangouts are, in my opinion, much better than skype. In this blog, I am going to explain why google hangouts are so great for contacting people abroad.

What is a Google Hangout?

A ‘google hangout’ is the Google Plus video conferencing feature. Google hangouts are free and easy to use. They will also work on your tablet or mobile phone. Google Hangouts can involve more than two people. Away from the family at Christmas? Join them for a post Christmas dinner drink!

Google Plus itself is a social network that will allow you to share information and keep in contact with friends and family. It will allow you to share photos, updates and videos with your friends and family abroad.

How do I get a Google Plus Account?

To be able to do a Google hangouts, you need to set up a Google account. You may already have one set up – you can also sign in through Gmail, YouTube or Android.

When setting up your Google Account, enter your profile details, and select your settings. This will then take you through to set up your Google Plus Bio, so enter your details. If you are concerned about privacy, you can adjust your privacy settings.

If you are logging in through gmail, you will see your Google Plus Profile in the top right of your screen when you are in your gmail inbox. Simply click on the image of you, or the icon, and you will go straight to your Google Plus profile page.

How do you start a Google Hangout?

Firstly, make sure that the person who you want to hangout with is also registered on Google Plus and is online at the same time as you (remember the time differences!). You can add people to your circles and they become contacts. Google Plus circles are great way to organise your contacts. For example, you might have a circle for ‘work’, a circle for ‘friends’ and a circle for ‘family’.

Once you are logged in to your Google Plus account, there will be a button in the top right corner that says ‘start a Hangout’, which you need to click. Name the hangout and invite the person that you want to connect with. When they join the hangout, you will hear the signal and they will appear on your screen.

What are the Advantages and Features of Google Hangouts?

google hangouts

The sound quality is often much better in google hangouts than on skype. In my experience, you hear less feedback and it doesn’t cut you off like skype sometimes can.

Google hangouts are better than skype because you can use the screenshare facility for free. Screensharing is great if you want to share things with your friends and family abroad. Skype have recently started to ask you to upgrade, and charge for this facility.

Google hangouts have a YouTube sharing facility too, so that you can watch YouTube clips together with your friends and family abroad. The Google hangout facility allows you to create a playlist.

My favourite thing about Google hangouts is the special effects. There are sound effects and headgear to make your video call even more exciting! Give your friend a round of applause for saying something great. Give your dad a birthday cake, whilst wearing a pirates hat or say hello to your sister with a dog face!

Pocketdial UK

For times when you don’t have internet access, you can always use Pocketdial UK to make cheap international calls.

 

International Dialling Codes for making International Calls

Making international calls to both landlines and mobiles can be confusing. With so many different international dialling codes, how do you know which ones you need? Don’t worry, Pocketdial UK is here to help. We have summarised the dialling codes that you will need when making an international call. We have also researched the most frequently used dialling codes.

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Image Credit: iMorpheus on Flickr (creative commons 2.0)

What International Dialling Codes will I need?

If you are making an international call, you will need two international dialling codes. Firstly, you will need the exit dialling code for the country that you are in.  Secondly, you will need the international dialling code for the country that you are calling to.  For example, to call India from the UK, you would need the following international dialling codes…

UK exit dialling code: 00

India International dialling code: 91

Complete phone number: 00 + 91 + ### ####

 

Top Ten Most Popular International Dialling Codes

Destination Exit code (dialling out) International Dialling code (dialling to)
Australia 0011 61
Brazil This will depend on the provider of your phone service in Brazil. 0014 (Brasil Telecom)

0012 (CTBC)

0021 (Embratel)

0025 (GVT)

0023 (Intelig)

0031 (Oi)

0015 (Telefonica), 0041 (TIM)

55
China 00 86
India 00 91
Pakistan 00 92
Philippines 00 63
Poland 00 48
Saudi Arabia 00 966
Syria 00 963
USA 011 1

How to find out International Dialling codes and Exit Codes

At Pocketdial UK, we recently found a great gadget on www.countrycallingcodes.com.  This is a quick and easy way to find out exactly what international dialling codes you need to dial one country from another, mobiles included. You can simply enter the country that you are calling from and the country you are calling to. After one click, the exit calling codes will appear.  It will also give you the international mobile dialling codes and city codes.

Don’t forget, if you are in the UK, you can make cheap international calls from a mobile using Pocketdial’s instant international call service.

Leave your comments on our blog!

Which country do you call most frequently? Do you find it easy or difficult to make an international call? Do leave your comments on our blog, we’d love to hear from you.

Dialling UK Mobiles – How to call a UK mobile when it’s Abroad

Dialing UK mobilesDialling UK mobiles whilst they are abroad can be confusing. Where possible, its often much cheaper to use landlines for making international calls. However, there are a few tricks and suggestions that can help you.

Dialling UK landlines when abroad is often cheaper. It is better to call landline to mobile than mobile to mobile, especially when dialling internationally.

Avoid dialling UK mobiles whilst in a different country to another UK mobile. Roaming charges can be very expensive, and it is important to check out the charges and international tariffs before you go. To find out about using your mobile abroad, and for information on how to avoid a large phone bill when you travel, check out our article on how to avoid a large travel phone bill.

Dialling UK mobiles – How to Call a UK Mobile whilst it’s Abroad

Lets’ say your friend or relative is off on holiday in France and you want to give them a buzz from the UK on their UK mobile. How much will the call cost? Will you pay for an international call? Or is it them that pays?

Essentially if you are dialling UK mobiles, you are charged the usual cost of dialling UK irrespective of which country the mobile is in.

For your friend or relative in France, it is them that will be charged for the international portion of the call, not you. These charges are called ‘roaming charges’ and your friend or relative may want to think carefully about the roaming costs before answering your call. In these instance text messaging may work out a lot cheaper!

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Image William Hook on Flickr (Creative Commons 2.0)

 

Making calls from UK Mobiles Whilst Abroad

So you are abroad on holiday and you need to book a local restaurant using your UK mobile. How much will it cost? Do you need to dial an international number?

As your phone will be connected to the domestic network of that country, all you should need to do is dial the full number for the restaurant, the same as you would if dialling from a local landline. In terms of cost, this is likely to be classed as a ‘roaming call’ and thus is probably going to be quite expensive. If you have some coins and are near a payphone, that is likely to be a cheaper option.

Another neat trick is to ask at a hotel reception or shop whether you can borrow their phone. In a lot of foreign countries, local calls from landlines are free so they won’t mind!

Dialling uk: What about if you want to make a call back to the UK or another international destination?

In these instances you need to dial an international exit code followed by an international prefix number.

In most countries, simply using ‘+’ will suffice for the exit code. These are the international prefix numbers or dialling codes for some popular destinations:

Country Country Dialling Code (dialling to) Exit Code (dialing from)
Australia 61 11
China 86 0
India 91 0
Poland 48 0
Syria 963 0
UK 44 0

These calls will be charged as ‘roaming calls’ and you should check the charges with your mobile provider.

Don’t forget about the Time Zones!

Remember the time difference when you are dialling UK from abroad. Australia, for example is 11 hours ahead of the UK. So if you are phoning the UK from Australia at 9am Australian time it will be 10pm UK time. If you want help with time zones and time differences, follow this link.

For more international dialling codes, follow this link.

If you have more up to date information, or would like to share your experiences of dialling UK mobiles abroad, do comment on our blog.

How to Avoid a Large Phone Bill when you Travel

 

Avoiding a large phone bill when you travel

roaming charges when abroad

Have you ever had that gut-wrenching feeling when you open your first phone bill after travelling abroad?  Making the mistake of not checking your roaming charges with your service provider can end up leading to unnecessary expenses.

In this Pocketdial UK guide to avoiding a large phone bill when you travel, you will find advice on what you can do before and during your trip to keep the cost of your phone bill down.

 

Before you Travel

It is important that you contact your mobile service provider to set up international roaming and familiarise yourself with the call and text charges for your travel destination. There may also be charges to receive a call, so check that too, otherwise you could end up with a very large phone bill. In some countries, depending on your network, it can even cost up to £2.00 just to receive a call. Receiving a text is often free, so it makes much more sense to ask your friends to text you rather than to call you.

Also, check that your phone is compatible with the foreign networks in the country that you will be travelling to. Find out if your phone is dual band, tri-band or quad band from your manufacturers website. If it is a quad band phone, it will work everywhere. If it is dual or tri-band, it may not work on some networks, so it is important that you find this out.

 

Data Roaming can lead to a large Phone Bill

Data roaming whilst abroad can also lead to a very large phone bill.  If possible, avoid using the internet on your phone. If you need to use the internet on your phone, you could connect to local Wi-fi, instead of using 3G.  This will be much cheaper.  In fact, many Wi-fi hotspots abroad are free.  For more information on data roaming, visit www.moneysavingexpert.com.

 

Phone Bill saving methods from your Operator

Many UK operators have international tariffs that you should research and set up. At the time of writing this article, here are the deals with UK phone operators that we found for roaming (mobile use while travelling abroad) to keep the cost of your phone bill down.

We found that O2 offers a data abroad bolt on to help you to reduce your phone bill when travelling. If you have an O2 phone and would like to find out more about international tarrifs for calling abroad, click here.

Orange offer an application to help you to control your phone bill when you are travelling abroad.  If you have a Blackberry, Android or iPhone you can download the roaming Angel  App to help keep track of your roaming costs while you are abroad.   It tells you how much you have spent so that you avoid running up a large phone bill.

Roaming Angel

Click here to reduce your phone bill with the Orange Roaming Angel

If you are on Orange and travelling in the EU, the Orange weekly EU bundle. For £19 a week, you can get 30MB of data, 50 minutes of calls and 100 texts, giving you a saving of almost £25.00 on your phone bill.

If you are a Vodaphone user, Vodaphone offer the Euro Traveller. This allows you  to take your price plan with you anywhere in the Europe zone for just £3.00 per day.

T Mobile offer Flexible Boosters which can be used to reduce your phone bill when roaming. They also offer a World Class Tariff which allows you to make calls for 55p a minute in 25 different countries.

 

Call Cards and International SIM Cards

Buying international call cards and SIM cards can make phoning from abroad on your mobile much cheaper.  It also means that you are fully in control of your spending. You can use a travel SIM card and encourage friends and family to call you on your foreign SIM using Pocketdial UK. If you are looking for an international SIM card to reduce your phone bill, click here.

 

VOIP Service providers

However, why use your mobile when you can use a VOIP (Voice over internet protocol) for free instead? Using a VOIP service provider is the best way to reduce your phone bill whilst travelling abroad.

Skype to Skype calls are free when you are both logged into Skype via your internet connection. If you already have a Yahoo, Google + or Facebook account, you can log in and begin a free video conference through these facilities.

Another option is Jajah, which doesn’t require you to download any software.  You can make calls direct from your web-browser on your smartphone, which is easy and handy if you are travelling without a laptop.

 

And Finally…

Wherever you are travelling in the world, have a fabulous trip. If you find out any new tips on reducing your phone bill when travelling, please leave your comments on our blog.