Cheap calls to Ireland from abroad

Paddylast

Registered User
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219
Hi
Can anyone recommend a company providing cheap or at least reasonable calls to Ireland from Germany. My daughter is moving there and we want to be able to make contact even when either of us is not near a computer to use Skype.

Thanks
 
I'd just use Skype without bothering with the telephone for regular contact. For an urgent call I'd just pick up the phone regardless of cost.
 
With the Germans being so efficient and cost conscious maybe it would be better for your daughter to see how much it would cost to call from Germany?
 
My daughter has lived in Germany for some years and rings us a few times per week and it costs her nothing, not sure of the system but could find out though it isn't skype. From here it is very cheap using Swiftcall.
 
My daughter has lived in Germany for some years and rings us a few times per week and it costs her nothing, not sure of the system but could find out though it isn't skype. From here it is very cheap using Swiftcall.

Unfortunately Swiftcall are now in liquidation .
 
Swiftcall are still operating in Ireland as I still use them every week. It may be the operation in Britan that is no longer operating.
 
Thanks folks for the replies.
John Martin I wonder if you would let me know what company your daughter uses in Germany to avail of free calls. Would really appreciate that.

Swiftcall in Ireland seems to be still in business so I'll check that out too.

many thanks.
 
1Call is cheaper than Swiftcall. 1Call operates on O2 network and is very cheap to Germany. I call my family at home in Germany few times a week. This company do cheap Global Caller calling card too...
 
I use VoipDiscount for free international calls.

Roughly, it works as follows: You sign up, register your phone number with them and then either:

* dial a prefix number to route your call through VoipDiscount for free
* type in your number and the one you want to call on their website; they connect the call for a 5 cent set-up fee
* use their application on your computer, very much like Skype

One limitation is that you get 5 hours of free calls per week. If you call for longer, they charge you but it is something like 1 cent per minute, much cheaper than say Skype. Another thing is that you must top up I think €10 every half a year. It might seem odd to top up when calls are free - but they offer cheap calls to lots of destinations and some of them do cost money. I usually find that I use €10 credit every couple of months.

VoipDiscount is just one of many brand names offered by one company called Betamax. This website gives you an overview of which brand name charges how much for calls to what country. Have a look at that and sign up with the one that offers free calls to the destinations you use most. In your case, you would want one that has free calls to Germany and Ireland, allowing you to call both ways free of charge.

It may take a couple of minutes to get your head around this all but in the end, I think it is worth it. I have been using VoipDiscount as my primary phone for four years now. Works like a charm.
 
Don't understand "much cheaper than Skype" comment.
As far as I'm aware Skype is free or at least I've never been charged anything.
 
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As far as I'm aware Skype is free or at least I've never been charged anything.

True, if you are calling from computer to computer. But when giving your parents or your grandma a ring, they might not be too excited about sitting in front of a computer with a silly headset on their head :). Calling normal phones via Skype is cheap but not free. Going with one of the Betamax companies can reduce that cost to zero. Sorry if it was not clear enough.
 
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