Calling the USA from Thailand

[spoojebob 0]

I will need to make some phone calls back to my home during my upcoming stay in LOS. I do have a Thai mobile that I picked up on my last trip.

 

My question is to those that have done it frequently enough to suggest the best access #s and all.

 

I've heard that there are 4 different access # that you first dial, 001, 007, 008, & 009. Do they all work the same, and have different rates? 's up wit dat?

 

So, what is the easiest and cheapest from a mobile?

 

Thanks in advance for all the great insight I'm gonna get from everyone.

 

SB

[jacko 8,813]

When I last compared (to the UK)......

001...Full price, cost you both limbs from one side of body. (19b/min)

007...Good quality, 9b/min

008... A bit noisy on the line, 7b/min

009... Hit and miss on quality but suffices. 7b/min.

 

I stick with 009 and it is preprogrammed into my mobile now for my frequent calls.

Edited November 4, 2007 by jacko

[js007 795]

007, 008 and 009 work well. When I first bought my cell phone the girl at the shop tried to tell me that, but I guess I wasn't paying attention, so for a while I used 001. Then some waitress girl told me again so I tried it. Worked great, and I was spending less money.

 

J

[joekicker 53]

Totally concur in all of the above. Good advice all round. 007, 8 and 9 are all good quality and very dependable.

 

Of course you have computer-based commo such as Skype, which can be free computer-to-computer.

 

Also, if you are communicating with the same person or set of people in North America always, get a 1-800 connection, let them call you, and pay 2 or 3 cents a minutes. There are about a zillion companies that broker these deals, Thaitel.com being a mid-level example.

[Eneukman 1]

I use Skype, though the connection can vary from good to useless depending on your internet connection at the time. I was on for over an hour in total today and the connection was excellent throughout.

 

Alan

[spoojebob 0]

Thanks for the info. Very helpful.

I'm wondering though, I have a business 800 number I need to dial up, so once I get the 009 access, can I just dial the 800 # direct.

I've just never made calls back home from a mobile, and I want to avoid using any credit card or ATT card using a land line.

 

Thanks again

 

SB

[joekicker 53]

I'm wondering though, I have a business 800 number I need to dial up, so once I get the 009 access, can I just dial the 800 # direct.

 

You can't dial 800 from outside North America. To call an 800 number, you'll need to be on a North American circuit. You can do it on Skype or Yahoo for example.

 

You'd better find the non-800 number the company uses.

[Larryst 7]

Try VoipStunt or Voip Discount.

[nodleroh 1]

I used Skype every day during my last trip in Oct. Only had one bad connection in my 4 weeks in LOS. The internet connection can vary by shop. I used the small shop in the hotel lobby across the street from the new hotel on Soi Diana Inn several times. Low rates and good connection.

[spoojebob 0]

Thanks everyone, for the help and many suggestions.

It is most appreciated.

 

SB

[joekicker 53]

You know what, spoojebob?

 

You made me realise how rare it is for people to come back in and give a simple "thanks" after a bunch of people do the very best they can to help an OP.

 

So *I* appreciate *you* for that. Good on ya. I bet all the other posters on this thread are agreeing right now.

[Eneukman 1]

I used Skype every day during my last trip in Oct. Only had one bad connection in my 4 weeks in LOS. The internet connection can vary by shop. I used the small shop in the hotel lobby across the street from the new hotel on Soi Diana Inn several times. Low rates and good connection.

 

I'm not sure that the shop is to blame for a bad connection. It is more likely to be their ISP playing up as my Skype connection can be excellent in the afternoon and virtually unuseable a few hours later.

 

Alan

[Gary 4,118]

I VERY seldom call the US but when I do, I use 0081 then the area code and the number. The connection has always been perfect. I don't remember what it costs but it is not expensive.

[joekicker 53]

I don't remember what it costs but it is not expensive.

 

Agree. Always perfect connection. At the mo it's 5 baht a minute. That is REALLY cheap for occasional calls, and about as cheap as you can get from inside Thailand using regular phones.

 

To beat the price,

1. use computer based service (Skype, Yahoo etc) or

2. call FROM the US on something like Thaitel.com, as cheap as 2 cents and good connections, or,

3. set up a virtual US number through your computer with Yahoo, or,

4. set yourself up with a real, physical US number using Vonage or similar.