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We were using Nobel cards and switched to Lean cards because of the poor performance of Nobel.  Now it appears that Lean cards have also gone south in their performance.  Anyone know the "latest and greatest" phone card?
KenC

... in response to Phone cards?, posted by KenC on Jun 13, 2002

Ken,

We had an even worse experience with Nobelcom -- the last $48 in cards has been absolutely worthless.

World Exchange (10-15-335) is now down to .15/minute or less, depending on what deal you can get with them.  Not quite as cheap as the best phone cards, but a lot less hassle, at least in our case.

Steve M.

... in response to Gave Up on Phone Cards..., posted by SteveM on Jun 15, 2002

Steve,

I have been using World Exchange as well.  I get .17 to Ukraine.  But I have to say that sometimes the connections have been pretty bad.  And for about 2 weeks, I wasn't able to get through at all!  But it is the best rate for a dial around.  It does have the 10 minute minimum but what really burns me is when you have been speaking for 5 minutes and you get cut off and you have to pay for 10 minutes!  I hate that..  If you get cut off under like 2 minutes, they don't charge you.

I may try the phone cards.. But I will keep the 1015335..

... in response to Re: Gave Up on Phone Cards..., posted by Oscar on Jun 15, 2002

Oscar,

We have been through that too.  I was able to get my bill credited for all of the calls to the same number that were on overlapping time (one started before the 10-minutes on the other ended).

Sometimes 10-10-220 has better quality, but the first ten minute fee is a dollar or so higher.

... in response to Ask for a billing adjustment, posted by SteveM on Jun 16, 2002

.

... in response to Phone cards?, posted by KenC on Jun 13, 2002

I'm using calling cards from ExpressPin (http://pointme.to/expresspin) to call my lady in Russia. Tried a couple of others as well.  Little bit of a risk with phone cards, as you have found out, because some of the companies are resellers or resellers.  My lady likes it too since she travels around the country she can use the prepaid card no matter where she is.  (She's looking into that international callback service now for personal and business use.)

... in response to Phone cards?, posted by KenC on Jun 13, 2002

I use World Discount telephone (WDT) it has both domestic rates and international...domestic is 3 cents/min. and calling Moscow is around 8 cents/minute, Ukraine about 11 cents...but the nice part is that I do not keep on having to pay for a calling card. You need to pre-register with the first call, and then they will give you a phone number to dial..kinda like a calling card...once the service is activated you call from your usual phone ( I have it on speed dial) and then the number you are calling ..the service automatically sees your access code and the call is placed...there is no connection fees and they bill you once a month. No charge to your credit card and you see an itimized list of all calls placed...

My wife calls each Sunday to her mom and friends...always a clear connection and never any busy signals due to server overload...as with the problem with calling cards.

If interested, try calling (1 888 353 0808)

... in response to Why calling cards?, posted by Apk1 on Jun 14, 2002

Apk1,

I thought the rate you were mentioning was great to Ukraine so I called WDT and spoke with them..  
They said that the cheapest rate they have from the USA to Ukraine is 19.9 cents per minute.  It's still not a bad rate as there are no monthly fees, fee's per call, minute minimums and only a 3% tax on the total..

Thanks for the info...

... in response to Re: Why calling cards?, posted by Oscar on Jun 14, 2002

I just checked and they have 8 cents per minute to Kyiv and Odessa and 12 cents per minute to rest of Ukraine.

And, as my original post states, no connect fees, no monthly maintenance charges, and I have had zero problems with busy signals, getting cut off, etc.

JR

... in response to Why not MasterBell??, posted by juio99 on Jun 14, 2002

I guess I haven't really checked into cards much because of all the complaints I've heard about them..
I'll take a look at their web site.  Sounds like you think it is a pretty good outfit..

Thanks

... in response to Why calling cards?, posted by Apk1 on Jun 14, 2002

I noted below you could be calling for 4 cents per minute to Moscow with no problems.  So why are you willing to pay double that rate?

JR

... in response to Why indeed, posted by juio99 on Jun 14, 2002

Yes, I have seen a calling card for 2 cents/min. to Moscow but it has an access charge "as" do most of the calling cards, and not to mention constant busy signals. It is such a pain in the rear to do the dial arounds..so I found what is painless and efficient..even though it "does" cost 4 cents/min more...

I like WDT because they bill me..and my phone bill averages about $12.00/month now...of which I just write off to my business anyway. The other reason is because I have it on speed dial..and can use it on all of my domestic calls also.
My average phone bill dropped from over $100/month by half when my wife still lived in Russia and I was calling her every day...and I had monthly documentation of each call. If You need phone conversation documentation for her embassy interview, it is an easy choice to make.

Things are not as Cheap as they may seem...and maybe the more expensive may be money better spent...think about it.
Do not be so quick to judge...unless you have the experience using both methods. Cheaper usually means more of a pain in the back side.

... in response to Re: Why indeed, posted by Apk1 on Jun 14, 2002

My original message on this topic clearly said:  

"I am on my third $20 card now, and have not had any problems. The various cards allow calls to Russia for 9 to 10 cents per minute, 5 cents to SPb, and 4 cents to Moscow.

No connect fees and no monthly fees. I have not found anything better or cheaper."

JR

... in response to Why are you still ignoring what I said??, posted by juio99 on Jun 14, 2002

Just stubborn I guess...I got tired of the phone card dance, punching in a bunch of numbers every time and now I enjoy the connection at the push of a button...convenience is worth the $5.00 per month I could save going the cheapest route.
I am not advising anyone this is the cheapest method (as you have) I am just mentioning this as an alternative to ordering phone cards on line...spreading your credit card number all over the internet..as well as your personal information. Identification theft is growing fast...and the internet is ripe with thieves. With WDT, I send them a check when they bill me..and I can see all of the places my wife is calling...and tease her when she spends an hour on the phone to her girlfrind in Kaliningrad but only 5 minutes to her mom in Moscow. (smile)

... in response to Not ignorant, posted by Apk1 on Jun 15, 2002

Wow... it must be worth $5 just for the teasing factor alone!

... in response to Why calling cards?, posted by Apk1 on Jun 14, 2002

OOPS! I misquoted...19.9 cents/min. to Ukraine
                   14.9 cents/min. to Russia (in general)
                   7.9 cents/min to Moscow
                   8.9 cents/min to St. Pete

... in response to Phone cards?, posted by KenC on Jun 13, 2002

I get 8.2cents a min. with a card called euro calling card, put out by worldcom

... in response to Phone cards?, posted by KenC on Jun 13, 2002

Ken, I posted some about this a few weeks ago.  To update, I have been using cards from www.masterbell.com

I am on my third $20 card now, and have not had any problems.  The various cards allow calls to Russia for 9 to 10 cents per minute, 5 cents to SPb, and 4 cents to Moscow.

No connect fees and no monthly fees.  I have not found anything better or cheaper.  

And I don't think it is true that ATT, etc. have better connections.  I think these card outfits buy time from ATT and other major carriers, so you get just as good, or bad, quality from the card outfits as from the more expensive.  

I usually call around noon here on weekdays which is 8 PM in Russia.  Time of day or night and particualar days is what seems to cause problems for many of the guys.

JR

... in response to Phone cards?, posted by KenC on Jun 13, 2002

Hey Ken!
We did the same as you some time back but a few months ago we went "back" to nobel.Can't beat 9 cents a minute...
The only time we have experienced problems now with nobel is Sundays so we either call real early or real late.We use the "Russiatalk" card.
Stay outta them tremors :))
Rick

... in response to Re: Phone cards?, posted by RickM on Jun 13, 2002

Be very careful with nobelcom, and don't buy a lot of cards in advance.  We were using the Russia Talk cards, enjoying the 9 cents/minute, when they stopped working one day several months ago.  We are out $48, and have got nothing but rudeness from Nobelcom.

... in response to Phone cards?, posted by KenC on Jun 13, 2002

Has been deteriorating too when calling  Kiev Ukraine.  It has reached the point where they fail to connect a call most of the time. It's gotten to the point I'm looking for another vendor also.

For the record, I have called their customer service line: conditions improved for a short while, then deteriorated again.  IF you are with Net2Phone I would suggest calling them as the phone service is decent.  Don't bother with email when you have a phone card with Net2Phone because the email support assumes you are using your pc to place the calls rather than a POTS line.

RIchard

(POTS = Plain Old Telephone Service)

... in response to Phone cards?, posted by KenC on Jun 13, 2002

Yeah this thing was hashed out a month ago or so I think... when somebody comes up with any kind of phone card that calls Russia proper... IE outside of Moscow, St Pete, or Vlad.. for less than .16 a minute please make a post about it.

fwiw, 1010220 works great - never a problem.  

... in response to Re: Phone cards?, posted by BrianN on Jun 13, 2002

.

... in response to 17 cents a minute with the 1015335 dial ..., posted by Oscar on Jun 13, 2002

n/t

... in response to Thanks but I get 18 cents/min via AT&..., posted by KenC on Jun 13, 2002

How are you getting 18 cents??  I think it is likely the phone line quality would be beter with AT&T than some dial-arounds but I can't find anything lower with AT&T than 23 cents with a $2.95 monthly fee..
 
That dial-around I posted has no monthly fee or anything but it has a 10 minute minimum (which you would always use of course) but sometimes you can get cut off after just a few minutes etc.. and have to pay for the whole 10 minutes.