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AR15.COM
10/27/2008 7:25:23 AM EDT
What's the best way to make international phone calls?  I'm investigating working in the UAE (espec. Dubai and Abu Dhabi) as a landscape architect.  As most companies are either located there, the UK, or Australia, I'm probably going to be making some calls.  



Right now I've got verizon wireless as my only phone (no landline), and they have an international plan for $3.99/mo. that gets me $.39/min. calls to the UAE.



Is there a better option?




10/27/2008 4:32:19 PM EDT
[#1]
Anyone?
10/27/2008 4:34:21 PM EDT
[#2]
Get a skype or vonage account.

Skype can get numbers from alot of countries and forward to a cell phone also.
10/27/2008 4:39:27 PM EDT
[#3]
VOIP
10/27/2008 4:45:05 PM EDT
[#4]
Skype or calling cards.
10/27/2008 4:49:52 PM EDT
[#5]
Quoted:
Get a skype or vonage account.

Skype can get numbers from alot of countries and forward to a cell phone also.


This is the best method.  I spent 15 months in Kuwait with VOIP services.  You will need a broadband connection though. I had a US phone number so people calling me didn't incur any international rates.  If I recall I paid $30 a month for unlimited calls and a host of features (the best being able to check voice mail from any pc).

Forget your Verizon phone.  You can get cheaper GSM services in country.

10/27/2008 4:50:20 PM EDT
[#6]
Skype or Yahoo Voice.  I have both, and use them often.
10/27/2008 4:51:12 PM EDT
[#7]
Skype.
10/27/2008 5:01:18 PM EDT
[#8]
SKYPE.  I use it from Australia to home all the time.  Quality is good, price is reasonable.
10/27/2008 5:11:35 PM EDT
[#9]
+1 for Skype.  Currently in Okinawa, and its 2 or 3 cents a minute to call Indiana.  You can also use it to instant message for free.  If you have a webcam, you can video chat.
10/27/2008 5:12:52 PM EDT
[#10]
From experience.

Buy a cell phone in the country your going to work in and have the people that you want to have contact with buy calling cards from noblecom.com. (they cover all of the middle east) Then  have them call you on your cell.  

If you need to call somebody just call them and have them call you back on your cell.  This is the absolute cheapest way.  

I talked to my wife every day for 15 min- 20 min and it probabaly cost me 50 bucks a month for the cell minutes and the card.  She gave her calling card number to all of my family  so they could call me if they needed.  If I needed to call home I would just call and have whoever I was calling call me back.



ETA:  There was no have skype when I was away. Sounds good though.
10/27/2008 5:15:38 PM EDT
[#11]
I used a calling card when I called my GF when I was in Thailand.  Expensive, but worked well.
10/27/2008 5:19:51 PM EDT
[#12]
failed to read the question.
10/27/2008 5:23:24 PM EDT
[#13]
I calll internationally often

Cheapest place I have found for calling cards so far is nobelcom.com

never had any issues