Hi,

I'm thinking of signing up with Toucan Telecom, mainly for the free weekend calls and cheapish 0845.

According to the signup form, if I can provide a telephone number of a friend who's already with Toucan it's worth £10 call credit for both me and that friend for the referral.

Is there a Toucan user out there who'd like to be my friend and earn a tenner? :)

If it's free weekend calls you're after, you may want to have a look at OneTel's StandardUKTalk package for comparison purposes.

Thanks, I've looked at them as well, but at first glance they seem surplus to requirements.

18899 backed up with 1899 look good for most things. Toucan and OneTel both have the free weekend thing, and a decent rate for some 0870, but Toucan is a little better on 0845.

18866 might be a better idea to look at rather than 18899 !! :-/

Toucan rates seem good to start with but compare the other charges; you pay for directory enquiries (OneTel=Free); overseas rates are reasonable, but not cheaper than 1899; calls to Mobiles are much cheaper on 1899 (anytime); standard usage using 18866 is MUCH CHEAPER. I suggest that you sit down with pencil & paper first and work it out before you swap.

It's all dependant on your usage but if it goes over a certain amount, then I suggest using OneTel's TotalUKtalk plan for unlimited calls and BT for the 0870 and 0845.

Thanks DaveM, I did indeed mean 18866. 18899? Never heard of them until I invented them accidentally last night!

It's quite a complicated process of working out which telco provider is cheapest.  It all depends on how many calls you make, what times, and whether to mobiles, abroad, 0870 or landlines.

If you make over about 15 calls every evening to landlines, then maybe an unlimited package is best, otherwise 18866, and pay the 1p per call.  Or sign up for one of the companies with free weekend calls, and make the surplus on 18866.

There is of course nothing stopping you using 4 or 5 separate access codes, depending on who you are calling, and when just to save a few pence a week!!

wrote on Nov 6^th, 2004 at 5:53pm:

It's quite a complicated process of working out which telco provider is cheapest.  It all depends on how many calls you make, what times, and whether to mobiles, abroad, 0870 or landlines. If you make over about 15 calls every evening to landlines, then maybe an unlimited package is best, otherwise 18866, and pay the 1p per call.  Or sign up for one of the companies with free weekend calls, and make the surplus on 18866. There is of course nothing stopping you using 4 or 5 separate access codes, depending on who you are calling, and when just to save a few pence a week!!

I have to admit I've reached the stage where 4 (regularly under review) Rules apply:

(1). all daytime and weekday evening 01 or 02 calls are prefixed 18866;

(2). all weekend 01 and 02 calls use no prefix -  so they go out, free, on OneTel Standard UKTalk Carrier PreSelect.  Forgetting this Rule and still applying Rule (1) in error, is not a hanging offence - it increases the call cost from 0p to 1p!

(3). all 0845/0870 calls (if I have been unable to find a geographical alternative on this site or elsewhere) are prefixed 1280 - so they go out on BT;

(4). all calls to Spain (our only international call destination) are prefixed 1899.

Most of the rules are followed by simple programming on the faithful DECT phones.

Similar rules apply for me as well Heinz.

As I make so many calls (sometimes over 200) in a day checking numbers for this site, I've found OneTel TotalUKTalk plan works best for me.  Otherwise it would be 18866 as you suggest.

It's funny actually watching how the general opinion for 0845/0870 calls is turning back to BT, as I suggested it was the best way to go in my post "So WHO is the CHEAPEST 0845 / 0870 provider?" back in May.

I must get one of the Orchid Ranger 400 phones. I'm getting fed up with having to constantly reprogram my present Dect phone, first with 1899, then 18866, now back to 1899 again for different calls.   :-/

  Heinz, You said in paragraph (3) that you use a prefix 1280 to phone out to BT. I assume your line is supplied by either BT or NTL!  My line is with NTL & I override them to use One.Tel. Since the prefix is so long to override NTL I use an automatic dialler. Can I override the dialler to use BT by using the 1280 prefix, or do I have to disconnect the dialler, which would be a real nuisance? If the former applies can I use an ISP by dialling 1280 first. The reason I ask is not all ISPs will accept NTLs line. I'm not connected to BT at all!!!

Hi Heinz, DaveM, Shiggaddi,

Thanks for all your suggestions - if I ever need to find anyone to say good things about OneTel I'll know where to come.

But actually, my original post was about Toucan. I have an Orchid dialer, currently programmed to direct certain calls over 18866 and 1899, and I'm planning to check out Toucan. They're offering £10 call credit for signing up, and an additional £10 if I can quote a phone number of an existing Toucan customer - who also gets £10 credit.

This appears to apply to all their tariffs, including ToucanTalk 3-2-1 - no monthly fee, and no contract. I can route calls via BT if I want. (And if I don't get the call credit, or if they don't perform, I walk.)

Most calls will go over 18866 and 1899, weekend calls will be free, 0845 and 0870 are the same price as BT (0845 cheaper than OneTel). I don't make an excessively large number of calls, and not very many 0845/0870, so that call credit should last a LONG time.

Right now, there doesn't seem to be a hole for OneTel to fill for me.

So - if any Toucan user out there would be willing to refer me I'd love to hear from them.

wrote on Nov 7^th, 2004 at 10:58am:

Heinz, You said in paragraph (3) that you use a prefix 1280 to phone out to BT. I assume your line is supplied by either BT or NTL!  My line is with NTL & I override them to use One.Tel. Since the prefix is so long to override NTL I use an automatic dialler. Can I override the dialler to use BT by using the 1280 prefix, or do I have to disconnect the dialler, which would be a real nuisance? If the former applies can I use an ISP by dialling 1280 first. The reason I ask is not all ISPs will accept NTLs line. I'm not connected to BT at all!!!

I have a BT landline so the 1280 prefix just overrides my OneTel  CPS and puts calls back onto BT - and they add the cost to my quarterly line rental bill.

I don't think that sort of option is open to you - you have no account with BT so how would they bill you?


wrote on Nov 7^th, 2004 at 11:03am:

Thanks for all your suggestions - if I ever need to find anyone to say good things about OneTel I'll know where to come. Right now, there doesn't seem to be a hole for OneTel to fill for me.

I don't work for OneTel (honest) - although I have been a customer for some years.  

The only possible 'hole' you may wish to consider when making your Toucan/OneTel/TalkTalk decision is OneTel allow free Directory Enquires from registered phone numbers.  That's not important to me - I use the BT online version - but it could be quite a saving for some.

Useful point, Heinz - I didn't know that.

I can't remember the last time I used a telephonic directory enquiry - I always use the BT web site version.

If you ever dial us here in the Isle of Man be aware that some UK providers exclude IOM 01624 nos from their inclusive packages, Toucan (IDT) is one of these ...disgraceful!

I use Talk Talk as they offer free evening and weekend calls (for 12 months).

I also use 1899 and 18866 as well.

Talk Talk are offering £20 credit when referred by someone already on Talk Talk.

Arthur, I have signed up with Toucan and would be happy to be your 'referral' so that we can make a tenner each !
Kirsten

Excuse me for being stupid (comes from banging head against brick wall too much!) but what exactly extra are you getting from Toucan ??

On the Toucan deal I'd like to point out:-

OneTel, although £1 more/month, gives a £20 credit to new customers PLUS if you're recommended by an existing customer, £20 to the them.

1899 has MUCH cheaper overseas rates, and 18866 gives better UK 01/02 rates.

Do you actually make sufficient calls to cover £9.99 per month to Toucan (that's 999 calls using 18866) ??

Even though I'm fairly new to this game of trying to beat the system, surely there can only be ONE true way of getting all you can from telephone providers.

1) register with talktalk to get evening and weekend calls free.

2) register with 18866 for free daytime calls Mon-Fri 8am-6pm (1p connection charge for each call, irrespective of length of call.

3) when using 0845 or 0870 (high cost call numbers), drop 18866 and prefix 1270.

4) if international calls are made, use 1899 at 2p/3p connection and 1p per min.

It may seem like a bit of messing about, but you soon get used to it, alternatively an Orchid Router will dial the prefix for you. islandman