Cheap International calls from '3', Orange or Vodafone ?

[mobaholic]

There is discussion on telecomforum about a new service being offered by 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.       
See:-   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 and here 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.

[amitjajoo]

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 

[nixforfun]

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

[ndiqbal]

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

Regards
Nadz

[moonandstar]

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

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.

[nixforfun]

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

[mobaholic]

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.

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.       

[ash]

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...

[moonandstar]

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.

[mobaholic]

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 !       

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.       

[andy]

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

[HiPD]

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?

[nixforfun]

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

[theabrar]

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..

[nixforfun]

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