International Calls on Orange, Virgin, Tesco, T-Mobile - using free minutes

[andyeveringham]

Add this number to your phonebook:

07744974327 :thumbs:

If you have free minutes included on your monthly contract with Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin or Tesco (plus EasyMobile) +you can use this number, 07744974327 to call abroad, including India, Pakistan, Australia, Ireland, France - using your INCLUDED minutes and not pay any extra. :clap:

Please note: this service is NOT available using your free minutes on 3, or Vodafone. If you are with 3, Vodafone or O2 then you will be charged for the call, even if you have free minutes (ie. 3, Vodafone and O2 will NOT offset these calls against your free minutes). O2 used to allow you to use free minutes, however from 1ST JULY 2006 they will be charging 25p per min.

For absolute clarity:

This service (07744 974327) allows you to make calls abroad using your free minutes on the following networks:

Orange
Tesco Mobile
Virgin Mobile
Easy Mobile
T-Mobile

You will be CHARGED for calls made from the following networks:

Vodafone
3
O2 (from 1/7/2006)


Note also: You can access the service from all mobile phones, including Pay As You go. This is still a very cheap option for calling abroad, however contract Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin and Tesco customers can pay my favourite price, FREE!

Ring Orange on 150 to confirm this is included in your free minutes. Alternatively to be really cautious call 150 to check your available free minutes, make a short call then call 150 the next day to check your minutes again, and ensure your call has been deducted from your free minutes.

O2 customers might want to try dialing 0844 570 7990 instead - which IS included in any free minute plans on O2.

[Toge]

closed!

[riz1]

So how does this work then?

suddenly gets suspicious when he realises the OP makes an apparantly amazing discovery with his 2nd post :suspect:

[ali]

Seems to be run by this lot:

http://www.webstertelecom.com/call-abroad-free-orange.php#

Sadly no staff list to check OPs name against :)

ali

[andyeveringham]

So how does this work then?

suddenly gets suspicious when he realises the OP makes an apparantly amazing discovery with his 2nd post :suspect:


It works by using the cross-network "termination charge" (the amount the networks pay each other to route calls from one network to another) to fund the cost of the overseas call.

Because the number is officially classified as a mobile number, Orange and O2 include it in cross-network minutes allowance.

As an example, 3 use the "termination charge" in another innovative way: i.e. their "wepay" service where they use some of the termination charge to pay their customers for receiving calls and texts.

I am on Orange premier and have personally used this service with no problems for the last three and a half months.

07744974327 is officially allocated to a company called Inquam which is technically a Mobile network with Mobile Network Code(MNC) 75 - this is an OFTEL/OFCOM/OTELO classification - you can find this information on the OFCOM website : http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/past/wmvct/summary/?a=87101)

I appreciate it may have been my second post, but I have also been a member for some 3 years, which would be an awful long time to wait for someone only interested in posting a commercial message!

I did read the rules on posting very carefully and haven't put up any affiliate links or similar (other than one of DVD forums' own eBay links in a reply to another punter on here!)

All the best

[andyeveringham]

I have updated the top message on this thread to reflect O2's announcement that they will now charge for these calls - as I don't want anyone to get caught out by the change!

http://shop.o2.co.uk/shop/o2uk/jsp/tariffs/TariffSmallPrint.jsp?

This takes effect from 1st July.

Note that all numbers beginning 07744 will be affected for O2 customers only.

However, O2 customers might like to know that they can call 0844 570 7990 instead and not be charged! :p


*** Good news for T-Mobile customers ***

I have updated the above post to reflect that T-Mobile are now including calls to 07744 numbers in their inclusive plans! So as one door closes...

[saeedsattar]

I've seen these before and to be fair, the do work.

The problem is when the number gets closed down, and you get charged loads.

I reckon you should try it, just always check that your minutes are being used. When they are not being used, it means the number is no longer working.

Hope this helps :)

[amkhan]

Does anyone know of anything similar for orange that still works?.

[iannewson]

www.voipstunt.com do something similar

[amkhan]

www.voipstunt.com do something similar

Thanks for that, though was looking for something that uses the inclusive minutes on the mobile, rather than a VOIP type application.

[MC Rubber Chicken]

it works on orange at the moment, but for how long no one can say as there is an increase in people using this on their mobiles so sooner than later they will catch on

[iannewson]

Thanks for that, though was looking for something that uses the inclusive minutes on the mobile, rather than a VOIP type application.

It does :thinking:

Dear customer,

From now on you can use your Voipstunt credit as well for calls from your mobile.
Please use the right access number for your country and make sure your mobile number is registered with your account. Before each call you will hear the free tariff message.

The Voipstunt access numbers are:

Netherlands 010 744 87 87
United Kingdom 016 1700 28 28
Austria 012 32 32 06
Switzerland 043 526 94 94
Germany 0211 53 99 85 85
Ireland 016 85 04 04
Spain 911 32 29 29
France 0170 90 95 35

[diydestruction]

It does :thinking:

Do you need to buy some credit before you can use this as it keeps saying my mobile number is not correct :\

[iannewson]

Do you need to buy some credit before you can use this as it keeps saying my mobile number is not correct :\

Yes. You need to create an account ( adding your mobile number) and top it up. There is a connection charge i believe and the calls abroad arnt free there mostly .007GBP (http://www.voipstunt.com/en/freetrial.html). Also you can use the phone you service which is free to a load of places. Its all on their website.

[smaaz]

Is it only in US or in rest of the world too? Thanks

[diydestruction]

Yes. You need to create an account ( adding your mobile number) and top it up. There is a connection charge i believe and the calls abroad arnt free there mostly .007GBP (http://www.voipstunt.com/en/freetrial.html). Also you can use the phone you service which is free to a load of places. Its all on their website.

Thanks! Topped up and made my first call, however, it's failing to connect everytime now, saying there is a fault with the service and to try agani after 30 minutes... frustrating!

[iannewson]

Is it only in US or in rest of the world too? Thanks

If you click on the list above your post it will show you.

[amkhan]

sorry i was after something that was "free" i.e. used the free minutes and charged the networks for the call (by billing them for the call).

still, this aint too bad.. thanks anyway

[mburton2]

I have updated the top message on this thread to reflect O2's announcement that they will now charge for these calls - as I don't want anyone to get caught out by the change!

http://shop.o2.co.uk/shop/o2uk/jsp/tariffs/TariffSmallPrint.jsp?

This takes effect from 1st July.

Note that all numbers beginning 07744 will be affected for O2 customers only.

However, O2 customers might like to know that they can call 0844 570 7990 instead and not be charged! :p


*** Good news for T-Mobile customers ***

I have updated the above post to reflect that T-Mobile are now including calls to 07744 numbers in their inclusive plans! So as one door closes...


OK Dragging up this old thread....

I'm on o2, and have loads of "free minutes" I'm going to be spending a lot of time in Germany/Holland/Belgium in the next few weeks....tell me how this 0844 570 7990 thing works (if it still does!)

Do I simply dial 08445707990 07710 1234567 ??, and it will call the UK mobile with number 077101234567 ?? Pls explain!

I was also thinking of getting a SI4travel from the Carphonewarehouse, which will RECEIVE calls for free when roaming.....so I'm assuming this is a UK-based mobile number?...so I could forward MY mobile calls to this (& use my free mins), and receive the calls on the SIM4travel for free??

anyone advise?

[jimmy101]

OK Dragging up this old thread....

I'm on o2, and have loads of "free minutes" I'm going to be spending a lot of time in Germany/Holland/Belgium in the next few weeks....tell me how this 0844 570 7990 thing works (if it still does!)

Do I simply dial 08445707990 07710 1234567 ??, and it will call the UK mobile with number 077101234567 ?? Pls explain!



You've got the wrong end of the stick - the 0844/07744/07755 numbers are for making international calls cheaper from the UK from your mobile, not making calls home when abroad.
You maybe able to get special bundles from O2 that allow you to make cheaper calls from abroad but I am not sure. Roaming charges should be siginificantly reduced in the next few months though according to the news yesterday!

[mburton2]

Bugger...OK, I see...

I also heard about the roaming calls cost-cutting....

HOWEVER, if you DO get a sim4travel (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump2.php?url=http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p(443)a(60823)g(162274)url(http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/commerce/servlet/gben-pd-ProductDisplay?S=130&filter_network=4TRAV&PN=PAYGOSIM&from=list)) (£30 mind), it looks like you CAN use your FREE calls allowance to RECEIVE calls whilst abroad (By forwarding all voice calls to the sim4travel number)

[mburton2]

OK, Scrap that last statement....it looks like the Sim4Travel is NOT issued with a UK-based mobile number afterall.....

After two trips to the CPWH, and speaking to 4 sales "advisors", who ended up arguing with eachother, and STILL came up with the wrong answer, I called the Sim4Travel people directly, who said it was NOT a mobile number as such, it was a 08xxxx number, so the caller would pay a big chunk of ££'s to MAKE the call, hence it was free to recieve calls whislt roaming...

Hey-ho