callback service comparable to callbackworld?

[littleyip]

I used to use callbackworld in 2006, because the rate to my lichtenstein United Mobile card was only 14c/min. Now that so many of the international prepaid options are failing, I am looking at a Travel Sim (UK number). But, the callbackworld rates to a UK mobile are quite high (over 40cents/min). Another thing I liked about callbackworld was their PIN2DEST service, that let my family in the USA call a 1-800 number, enter a PIN and reach my mobile for free. This service was free, too. Now that I am looking online, I see companies offering service like PIN2DEST but for a fee. Does anybody have any ideas for replacing these services with a better rate to the UK mobile?

Thanks!

[JPSmith]

Old thread, same question......anyone know of a callback service offering a good rate from UK mobile numbers (in my case, an eKit sim) to the U.S.?

[petkow]

Originally Posted by JPSmith

Old thread, same question......anyone know of a callback service offering a good rate from UK mobile numbers (in my case, an eKit sim) to the U.S.?

If you can do the trigger via GPRS data, currently the cheapest by far is one of the Betamax brands VoipGain | For the cheapest international calls. You need to first open an account there (by downloading the softphone on to a PC) and then you need to download the Java client onto your phone from http://gsm.voipbuster.com and then put in your voipgain username and password into this client. You setup calls callback calls through the client, and it will require to transmit a few bytes of data each time. There is also an SMS way of doing this but I haven't explored that option yet.

Using Voipgain, the callback rates for this from a +447 to the USA work out at an incredible 3.1 US cents per minute! Plus there is a 5c call setup charge.

Worked out as:
UK Mobile 2c/min (Eurocent and excluding tax)
USA 0c/min
(From VoipGain | cheapest calling rates)

Don't place your bets on that 2c rate to UK Mobiles (which includes the IOM ones used by Ekit) lasting for too long. On their other brands it is around 5c/min, but that is still cheap. USA is generally 'free' (provided you have topped something up in the last 90 or 120 days depending on the brand in use).

For a full comparison of all Betamax brands see: backsla.sh/betamax

[inquisitor]

Originally Posted by petkow

There is also an SMS way of doing this but I haven't explored that option yet.

Really? I used SMS-triggered callback until sommer 2007 when Betamax ceased that feature at least for justvoip and poivy. But I remember a Polish guy on the voipbuster forum, who had built a public SMS-callback-gateway afterwards. Maybe his service is still online, but I wouldn't share my credentials with an anonymous individual.
However IP-based triggering is probably cheaper than SMS, if you have a SIM with reasonable data roaming tariffs. With moipe.com, a data roaming discounter who will launch soon, a callback request would cost € 0.09 (for 10KB), while SMS are always way more expensive while roaming.

[petkow]

Originally Posted by inquisitor

Really? I used SMS-triggered callback until sommer 2007 when Betamax ceased that feature at least for justvoip and poivy.

Sorry... I stand accused of making an unsubstantiated comment!

What I should have said is I presume there is an SMS way of doing this. I was making the assumption as my VoipClient has an option in Configuration->Advanced Options->Alternate SMS Method. As I said, I have never explored that option, as GPRS data rates on my UK o2 contract Mobile are ridiculously cheap for making these type of triggers. (Though having said that, on my contract I can send a fair number of SMSs for free whilst I am roaming...)

Sorry for any confusion. By the way, Ingisitor. Moipe.com sounds interesting! Good find!

[prog-x]

Hi,

I have a service on my server to make a callback with Betamax/Dellmont systems.

Try with this URL from your mobile phone :

http://srv.li/IVOIP_WEB/FR/callback....NUMBER_TO_CALL

BETAMAX/DELLMONT_CLONE is calleasy.com, voipbuster.com, intervoip.com, ...

[JPSmith]

Unfortunately, while eKit data is a reasonable $2.50/mb in some countries (Austria, France, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom) it is quite pricey in others, e.g. $10/mb in Italy and Germany, and $20-25/mb in Asia. eKit have a 100kb minimum charge for data, so each GPRS callback trigger in these countries would cost $1, $2 or more. So, the Betamax callback services are not a very good option for making short calls from eKit sims except in the $2.50/mb countries.

Outgoing SMS on eKit are 69 cents each, better than the data costs in some cases but still not great for triggering callbacks.

Are there no traditional callback services anymore with decent rates to IOM mobiles?

[petkow]

Do you not have another SIM with more favorable data roaming rates that you can use just as the trigger? This is what I tend to do though unfortunately you would need a second phone.

If not, you really should consider getting some cheap prepaid SIM just for the data, obviously also useful for SMS services like fishtext. There are plenty of prepaid SIMs available from European carriers that have decent rates. They are discussed elsewhere on this forum.

Betamax really do have the lowest possible rates to IOM mobile that you could ever consider. My experiences with the traditional callbacks are not only that their rates are high, but they are no longer that reliable in picking up a trigger anyhow! The last one I had (run by a small UK company), used to annoyingly call me at all odd hours of the night thinking I had triggered a callback request.

[JPSmith]

Originally Posted by petkow

Do you not have another SIM with more favorable data roaming rates that you can use just as the trigger? This is what I tend to do though unfortunately you would need a second phone.

I currently get my overseas data via Sprint international data roaming (unlimited GSM data just about everywhere for about $2 a day) in a Touch Pro 2, which I use only for data. So if I understand correctly, I could do what you suggest by triggering the callback with the TP2 and having it ring through to the eKit phone. Kind of a nuisance to have to use two phones to make a call though.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[petkow]

Originally Posted by JPSmith

I currently get my overseas data via Sprint international data roaming (unlimited GSM data just about everywhere for about $2 a day) in a Touch Pro 2, which I use only for data. So if I understand correctly, I could do what you suggest by triggering the callback with the TP2 and having it ring through to the eKit phone. Kind of a nuisance to have to use two phones to make a call though.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Sure you can! As it is you have to specify the 2 numbers that you want to call. i.e. the number of the phone you want to receive the callback on and the number of whoever you are calling. So for your number, you can specify the eKit number, but also you can conveniently specify your hotels direct dial room number, or the number of the phone on the desk that you happen to be working at in your overseas office or even the few payphones that accept incoming calls.

Using the handset which has the internet access setup there are 2 ways of triggering. Either browse directly to the website of whichever Betamax brand you are using, or if your phone is compatible, download the Java application which basically does exactly the same, but is just a little lighter on data use!