A friend needs to call Israel (mainly landlines) a lot. The best bet I can find is to use Skype out and get a package for under £5/month for unlimited minutes to Israel landlines. Then use Skype PAYG for the small number of calls to Israel mobiles.

For the convenience of using a phone rather than a computer I reckon get a Skype handset or Skype app for mobile. Any recommendations on Skype phones? This looks promising: http://www.amazon.co.uk/RTX-DUALphone-3088-Skype-Required/dp/B000OYN67Q/ref=lp_356492011_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1414566812&sr=1-2

Advice and help very welcome.

Promising? Have you read some of the reviews?

I know from experience that Skype calls can be a bit variable in quality. Never done Skype out so don't know if that makes things better or worse.

The handset I suggested has had very mixed reviews on Amazon. The obvious (and free) approach is to use the Skype app on my friend's mobile.

If they have inclusive minutes.

Israel Landline .03 access number. Note the service only operates  between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday to Friday.

https://www.telng.com/callthrough_03.html

Their is also a 24/7 0845 access number if they have inclusive 0845 minutes.  http://www.storytelecom.com/dialnow.php   but landline suppliers have been known to charge for these type of calls so a short test call is recommended.

Israel Mobiles just 1.8p a minute with.
http://www.localphone.com/call/israel

Calling from a mobile without inclusive minutes using mobile short code http://www.dialacode.com/cheap-international-calls-to-Israel rates are competitive.

Thank you for the suggestions. I'd found the Teleng free service but it's of limited use since my friend makes most calls evenings and weekends. I didn't know about that 0845 service but am well aware that it may be charged even if you have inclusive minutes to 0845.

allegro wrote on Oct 30^th, 2014 at 7:12am:

Thank you for the suggestions. I'd found the Teleng free service but it's of limited use since my friend makes most calls evenings and weekends. I didn't know about that 0845 service but am well aware that it may be charged even if you have inclusive minutes to 0845.

I appreciate you are aware. But others might not be who seek solutions from our posts. :)

bigjohn wrote on Oct 30^th, 2014 at 10:41am:

allegro wrote on Oct 30th, 2014 at 7:12am: Thank you for the suggestions. I'd found the Teleng free service but it's of limited use since my friend makes most calls evenings and weekends. I didn't know about that 0845 service but am well aware that it may be charged even if you have inclusive minutes to 0845. I appreciate you are aware. But others might not be who seek solutions from our posts. :)

Good point.

I know of 14 providers that charge 0.5p a minute (no subscription, charges are via access number), here are some of them:
08430 150 150      Cheap Calls
0844 200 65 65      CheapCalling
0844 200 90 90      Discount Dial
0844 200 45 45      Telestunt
0843 015 6358      Talk Cheap      
0843 015 6958      Low Calls      

they are all for Israel landline, one of them (0844 Calls) charges 0.5 for mobiles as well
0844 200 85 85

Naturally, connection rip-off fees apply and all that. Let me know if you need full info.

bolsheVik wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2014 at 3:47pm:

I know of 14 providers that charge 0.5p a minute (no subscription, charges are via access number), here are some of them: 08430 150 150      Cheap Calls 0844 200 65 65      CheapCalling 0844 200 90 90      Discount Dial 0844 200 45 45      Telestunt 0843 015 6358      Talk Cheap       0843 015 6958      Low Calls       they are all for Israel landline, one of them (0844 Calls) charges 0.5 for mobiles as well 0844 200 85 85 Naturally, connection rip-off fees apply and all that. Let me know if you need full info.

Considering someone has given non 0843/4 numbers on here, and this site is mainly designed no avoid using them.. why are you suggesting anyone uses them?

Just curious to know.....  ;)

084 and 087 numbers with a Service Charge are ideal for this type of service.

From 1 July 2015, you'll pay your own phone provider the standard Access Charge for calling the 084 or 087 number plus the additional Service Charge that is passed on to pay for the international leg of the call.

These services will declare their Service Charge rather than the cost of a call when made from a BT landline. This will allow for much easier comparison of international call provider's prices.


They will also be able to better explain their offerings.

Call via an 03 number and pay for the international leg through a separate bill or by using a pre-paid top-up voucher and pay your phone provider the normal rate for calling an 03 number (usually inclusive in your allowance).

Call via an 084 or 087 number and pay for the international leg by paying the advertised Service Charge to your phone provider so that it can be passed on, and pay your phone provider their standard Access Charge for calling an 084 or 087 number.

All of the 084 numbers listed in the previous post will have a 1p per minute Service Charge.


There's also a third option that a small number of companies offer.

Call via an 080 number and pay for the international leg through a separate bill or by using a pre-paid top-up voucher. The rate will be 2 or 3p per minute more than the rate charged when calling via other numbers simply because the international call provider has to pay the caller's provider a fee because the caller paid nothing for the 080 phone call.


Where an international call provider offers an 03 number but does not charge anything further for the international leg of the call, they are taking advantage of the 0.56p per minute termination rate for 03 numbers to pay for that. Notice that they only offer the service during the day, not at night or at the weekend when the termination rate drops to only 0.2p per minute. There's also only a very limited number of destinations.

Telng who operate the 03 International dial through service listed have a link on their website which goes to an Ofcom consultation regarding Termination Rates for 03 numbers.

It proved quite interesting reading, even though it dates from a while ago.  I would therefore assume they still utilise the "small" term rate provided by the 03 number.

Edit: the post on 03 Numbers in conference calls, mentions the same consultation...

Ofcom's response is : http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/03-modification/statement/statement.pdf