International Student Forum/ Message Board

Hi all!

I am a sophomore currently studying political science at Indiana University. I will be at the University of Kent all next year, so I am wondering what is the best way to keep in contact with my parents and family back in the state.

I have skype, so that will be main way of contact via a microphone and webcam. However, I am wondering three things:
1. I can't live without a cell phone, but I don't use one all the time. What is the cheapest plan for local calls in the UK?
2. Calling home options... what is the cheapest way to call home? This would be mostly for emergencies and times when I can't be near my computer.
3. What is the cheapest way for my parents to call me?

Thanks for your post - here is some info that might help you.

1 - Skype or VOIP PC calling is the best way to go if you want free calls and can be near your laptop or computer. You might also want to check out oovoo.com as they offer a great video calling service too if you want to talk via video (its better than skype video calling).

2 - If you want to keep your costs down, your best bet is to get a simple prepaid sim card. They are available all over the place in the UK, just walk down the high street when you get there and you can go to the Car Phone Warehouse, Orange or O2 and they will be able to give you one. This is also assuming you have a GSM mobile phone at the moment (let me know what your phone make and model is you have and what network you use in the USA and I can tell you if you can use it in the UK)

3 - Calling home options, your best option is to use a skype service - but if you want to call from your mobile phone you can do this from services such as http://uk.internationalstudent.com/call ... ndex.shtml

4 - As for your parents calling you - if they will be calling from a landline in the USA to you in the UK they should get a calling card - try this one http://www.icallabroad.com/usa_calling_card/index.php

Hope this all helps

I received one e-mail from skype company telling me that they will get acces to their online software through mobile phone. so you could ask for more information on this which will be cheaper than any other way.

I bet you could use prepaid cards just in case you have an emergency and no Skype at hand.

The chepest way is to use the server 18185

Visit the 18185 website. All you do is sign up with your credit card or UK bank account. You nominate the phone number you want to call the states from and it's cheaper from a landline When you make a call to the States dial the prefix 18185 from that phone then 0 11 then the US number. It costs 0.5p per minute and you pay monthly.

We hope this helps

Study Abroad UK

We use Onesuite in our family. They got voip and prepaid phone card services and can be use in U.K. calling back U.S. and vice versa.

Rates are very good and quality is excellent.

Server? what server? Are you talking about computer servers in your school? Well you still use some kind of voip making the call and your school is paying for it. It might be illegal and you will be punish if get caught. It's better to use your own voip provider and pay for it. I use Onesuite VoIP and its cheap.

Nowadays most folk use skype and IM to communicate. Now there is a good website that can track down the cheapest way to call the States try http://www.moneysupermarket.com. Its usueful for lots of other stuff too

Well, there are lots of ways to call home cheaper...It now depends on your choice and how prepared are you are willing to explore the possibilities. If in UK and have SKY, it free to call america with just some pounds monthly. Also BT, Talktalk and some other companies are trying to do same.

One I have found best is the use of International Phone cards. But beware, some will say xxx minutes but never true. That's why you have some cards selling for £2.50 or three for £10. Can also buy some of these cards online but please make sure u buy over a secured web.

However, my favourite website is My Internet Mall. This site spend alot of time researching and selecting the best of the best cards to call anywhere in the world. I know this because I am a regular home-caller. So far, my choices are Talkhome, Cobra and Globatel. I also prefer payment through paypal the site offered. I know my data are secured and I get waht i need on time. All the best.

Bestinfor...