Fone Forum

There is discussion on telecomforum about a new service being offered by http://www.acecallonline.com/ (http://www.acecallonline.com/).

Taking a look at their website, it has moving banners showing quite a lot of countries available for 0p / min.
These include India land lines and mobiles.        :o
See:-   http://www.acecallonline.com/rates.html# (http://www.acecallonline.com/rates.html#)

The cynic in me thinks that anything which looks too good to be true, probably IS too good to be true.        ::)

However, it would be good to get a report back from any India callers who might have tried them, or who would like to do so.        ;)

The discussion on telecomforum here (http://www.telecomforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3954.msg20055#msg20055) and here (http://www.telecomforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3954.0) suggest that a mobile prefix starting 075371 is employed, which is apparently a number range allocated to the Stour Marine Limited network provider, of which I have not previously heard.
If anyone is more enlightened about them than myself, please feel free to supply information below.

I can confirm for the benefit of everyone here that the calls to 07537 ___ ___ are coming from the inclusive minutes on a 3g contract. I have tested this by calling Indian cell no. on 2 seperate occassions and both the times my remaining minutes were deducted. I was also impressed with the speed of ringing of the indian no. after I dialled the 07537 ___ ___ no.

Hope this helps all the 3g users, could other ppl having other network contracts confirm their findings here........

cheers  ;D

Hi

I know the website mentions this only for Vodafone, 3 and Orange, but still tried it on O2 and does'nt work there. The number range is not recognised on O2- tough luck !!!

Regards
Nik

Hi MH
Hope all is well.
Thanks for the info.
Will give this a try!

Regards
Nadz

Thanks for carrying out this little experiment. I was going to ask someone to try from an o2 contract but you answered my question before I could ask it.

By the way why does o2 block these numbers? If all other networks allow it surely o2 should allow it.

moonandstar.

Hi moonandstar

This may be something to do with the wifi operators number ranges which has always been contentious. If you remember, sometime back there was a similar concept from a company called noodle telecom. They did have a good time out there but ended up with their numbers being blocked by O2 and others.

Mobile operators have got sneaked in a clause in most contracts now which says that the inclusive mins can only be used to call "normal UK mobile numbers". I am sure they will classify these wifi operators' number ranges as non-mobile in a hope that people will start using their intl. calling services. :). At the same time, all major operators have started sneaking their own "cheap" international call services (O2 intl. sim, Orange Camel tarriff etc.), so they are just trying to grab this "shadow" industry which was a big market.

We can just hope this goes on for some time so that people can save some money for their international calls.

Regards
Nik

The report that the number range is "unrecognized" is unlikely to mean that it is blocked, in my opinion.        ;)

To go back a little in history, time was when the networks had different policies about 'opening' up new numbers.
It was the policy of both O2 and Orange to open new number ranges on their networks as soon as these were released by whichever regulator issues them ( Ofcom possibly ).  This resulted in a whole  host of new callthroughs operating on these networks, about which they eventually became wise.        ::)

'3' tended to open new numbers cautiously, but to watch for callthrough traffic with eagle eyes, and then to start charging as soon as signs of this was detected.        ???

Vodafone have a hard long standing policy of allowing no number ranges which do not originate with their 4 competitor networks.  That is why it is extremely unusual to find a callthrough working on the Vodafone network.        ;)

Lastly T-Mobile have been the most awkward of the networks, for years and years I believe, in that they often refuse to open up new number ranges till they are well established, there is plenty of traffic on them, and the demands of their own customers become irresistible.        ::)

The report that a number is not recognized should be taken to mean that its number range has not yet been opened up on the network involved, I believe.        ;)

I am tempted to get a new contract (orange/3/voda) for calls to India only. But you never know how long would this company last..... may be 1 month sim only rolling contract...

A rolling contract sounds like a very sensible option. If the service stops at least you won't get stuck with a 12/18 month contract.

moonandstar.

Yes ....... but !        :o

A one month contract is seldom what it appears.  To illustrate the point, you would actually have to give your notice on the day you opened the account for it to last just a single month.        ;)

In practice, you may well have to wait for your billing date to give notice, and to allow a full month after that for disconnection.  So it may take anywhere between 4 - 8 weeks to get a contract cancelled I have read.        ???

Agreed that this is still a lot lot better than being stuck in a contract for 12, 18 or 24 months; but still not the instant 'get out' that one might have supposed at first sight.        :'(

Maybe the release of this number series is very recent; it appears that an mvno on this number range is set to launch in January

That's interesting.  Where did you see that?  On which network does the new MVNO intend to piggyback?

Hi

I tried using this service over vodafone and unfortunately these numbers are not inclusive on vodafone !!!. I was charged £0.340 ex VAT so its very costly.
Could people post their experiences with 3 and Orange here please?

Regards
Nik

wasnt charge on 3 yet...no idea yet about orange..it hasnt showed in the unbilled usage yet..will have to wait for 48 hours to see..

Thanks for your update.

From some other discussions on this forum, I believe '3' balances are updated in near real time if you check on 333. If you haven't been charged till now then probably '3' allows these numbers out of the inclusive minutes.

Seems '3' is much better for call through because I remember one more call through still alive on '3'- had a discussion on this forum some time back on that. I am with O2 and Vodafone unfortunately :(

Regards
Nik

yeah..fortunately it still works with '3'...
waiting for Mikael to launch the new service for '3'...

Thanks for your test reports theabrar and panda. 0:)

I had tested myself from '3' Pre-Pay, which connected OK, and I heard the message, but that is charged of course.    :'(

I don't have a '3' contract however.

Does Mikael know how long it will take the network to set up a callthrough for '3' contract users?

no prob



wat do u mean by charged?..u mean u will be charged for the minute used..right??

Yes of course he does.  P & G / Pre-Pay does not give any inclusive minutes: all calls are charged.   ;)

On the 'Flat 12' tariff on '3' Pre-Pay one is charged for a minimum call length of a minute, = 12p, however short the call is.   ???

SOS...guyz the numbers which are given by acecall are not shown in the unbilled usage list..however the minutes are being reduced from the allowance..
any views/thoughts/experiences would be appreciated..plzzz

Hi theabrar

Which operator did you try this on? Can you check latest unbilled usage if it is reflecting now?

Regards
Nik

Hi there, I have been using this services with 3 mobile. I haven't been charged by this service. What really impressive is the quality of the call. I am saving load of money now, really hope this stays on the market for long.

If anyone using orange mobile please let me know, what you feel.

Hi, Acecall is an MVNO on the new mobile operator Stour Marine. When you take a AceCall number you are taking one of the Stour Marine numbers. AceCall will also be sending out details soon of the soft phone you can use on their network. At the moment you are simply using the divert facilty just like any phone company. Stour Marine has many other customers who use WiFi / GSM phones. Stour Marine has a mobile number range allocated by Ofcom in the UK. They also have a WiFi hotspot business so are not just a VoIP operator.

The reason the numbers are not available from the O2 network or T-Mobile is because they are a new network and these connections have not been sorted out yet. They are not another Noodle.

Hope that helps.

Stour

oops sorry..its orange...i have just checked they are not being shown in the list...but the minutes are being reduced though...

I can once again confirm that this is definately coming out of inclusice min. on 3g. Have been using them since last 2 weeks and works like a charm.

Honestly, it is too much trouble changing no. all the time by logging into their website. Such a pain.

Cant wait for Mikael's 3g call through service  :P

Does 3 network offers some kind of a sim-only tariff? I don't want to go for a 12 month/18 month contract. Can anyone throw some light?

Regards
Nik

How about checking on http://three.co.uk/personal/index.omp

 an odd choice of pronoun, using they all the time in place of we

Will your own SIM cards come online a bit faster than certain other companies's efforts?  Or is it not actually an mvno on GSM?

The only 3 SIM only deal currently offered is on Pre-Pay.
See: http://www.three.co.uk/personal/price_plans_/pay_as_you_go_/sim_only.omp (http://www.three.co.uk/personal/price_plans_/pay_as_you_go_/sim_only.omp)

3 used to offer 6 month contracts, on a limited choice of cheap phones, but even these have disappeared from their website at present unfortunately.  They used to be displayed at http://threestore.three.co.uk/specials/ (http://threestore.three.co.uk/specials/), but this has a very different set of expensive 'specials' now.    :'(

They still do if you take a Skype Phone: http://threestore.three.co.uk/priceplans.aspx?phonecode=3SKYBLSDSL

You are right LVM.  I searched the '3' website yesterday with the parameters '6 months', 'specials', and anything else I could think of, but nothing came up.  You seem to have found a link that even the 3 search tool couldn't find!   :)

However a choice of but one cheap mobile handset is a far cry from the good offers previously given only a few months ago.  Then you could have a Nokia 6120 classic, with 3G features and HSDPA capability, for just £15 per month for only 6 months.  The Skype Phone doesn't begin to match the 6120 classic IMHO!   ???

The same deal is available on the Skype Phone2, which is a somewhat better proposition as it has HSDPA also, but it doesn't have all the software on the Nokia 6120 classic unfortunately.    :'(

Did anyone call Pakistan from this service? The Acecall are saying 3p/min. Are there any connection charges sort of things? I am on O2 unfortunately. Someone?

I don't have a '3' contract myself, and I have never called the Acecall service personally, so I can't help you with information about connection charges, sorry.        :'(

However, I do hear that there is news coming in the pipeline about a new callthrough service for '3' users ( and another for those on Orange ).        :D

Please do NOT send me PMs about this, as I do not have either the access numbers, nor the possible destinations' lists, just yet.        ;)

Details of new services will be announced as soon as possible.        :)
Some will have their own threads, and I may experiment with sending out a forum newletter, via email, about yet another new venture.        ;)

Please be patient for news in the meantime.

Thanks.        :)

mh.

guyz any update on this the numbers still doesnt show up in the unbilled usage..

anxiously waiting for this... ;D

To which number are you referring here?

ah..lemme explain...the numbers provided by acecall doesnt show up in the unbilled usage on orange, but the minutes are reduced though..

I too observed the same thing..

ok so wat do u think we should continue it or not??
havent used it for a long time though..

Hi,

even i have used this service over Vodafone Pay monthly last week and i was charged £1.5 for four minutes (should have just tested it for a minute but continued for 4 mins). I dint get a chance to check exactly how much  i was charged for a minutes as my unused billage is not updated sinces 1 Jan 2009 (Vodafone is very slow updating  >:().

 Did any other vodafone Pay monthly user experienced this?

Thanks


Nashi_