It is worthwhile checking out www.niftylist.co.uk. Use the countrry finder to find the cheapest provider to call your destination. Please note that the same provider will not always offer the best rates for every country.

If you only want UK numbers, then click straight through to the pages here
http://niftylist.co.uk/country_223_mobile.html ;    for mobiles

http://niftylist.co.uk/country_223.html                for landlines

I have found the best numbers at the moment to be 0844 721 0001 at 1p per min for land, and 0844 452 0005 at 5p per minute for mobiles.

Follow the instruction from the voice message, exactly. So to dial a uk mobile,  dial the access number 08447210001 wait for the message, the dial the full international number of the mobile eg.00447973******

Normal providers will charge up to 20p per min, so at 5p a min it's worth the extra 20 seconds

Having read bigjohn's reply, I stand corrected, and as such folks, I need to warn you that you will be charged the minimum connection fee by your usual carrier whether you connect or not. With BT it's 5p and with Telewest it's 6p. For any others you will have to check the suppliers details.

However, one thing to point out is that 1899 and 18185 both demand you supply credit or debit card details to use their service. Not a problem, their site, their rules. However I have friends who do not have a credit card, and are wary about supplying bank details to complete strangers. As such, these two sites will be completely out of bounds to them, and to others who do not, or cannot have cards.

You can indeed get a supplier to provide "free" evening and weekend calls. However this usually involves an additional fee to your usual subscription. Eg with Telewest it is an extra £6 per month for "free" evenings (6pm to 6am) and weekends, or an extra £15 for unlimited landline use. These are indeed good deals if you spend sufficient amounts of time on the phone, AT HOME. But having to pay extra for these services destroys the idea that they are free.

But the outstanding point is you cannot take your BT or Telewest phone around town, to the pub,to a friends or anywhere, thus killing the on the move option. The 1889 and 18185 require you to use a registered phone ONLY. If you are out, and used your mobile, the time on the call would be taken from your personal allowance of minutes. This would only be good if you were to dial international numbers from your mobile whilst out and about. But their international rates do not seem to compare favourably with other access numbers. On the move, direct dialling from your mobile would be the best option as you would have no connection fee, and the minutes are going to be deducted anyway. If you didn't have your mobile, then you are stuffed. You cannot borrow a friends phone to access any of your cheap accounts.

At least with the lists offered on the niftylist site, you can use them from a phone box, halls of residence, the pub, or any other fixed landline. It is worth pointing out that you should check with your mobile supplier about dialling an 0844 number. This is because they are catching on. Orange have announced they will be charging an extortionate amount to use that service. If in doubt, DON'T. Go and use the phonebox.

Therefore allowing for the amendment, as was justifiably pointed out, I stand by my information that the numbers and site offered do indeed offer a good deal.

This was not an argument, but merely pointing out that different circumstances require different methods of solution. If you are at home and have the appropriate card facilities, and the willingness to divulge the information, then as bigjohn says, try 1889 or 18185. If you spend more time than is healthy on the phone, then get an inclusive package. Otherwise, for a general saving against the various published prices, why not try the numbers offered.

It does need to be pointed out that if you really want to save money, you should consider your destination before using the various numbers. I frequently dial Hungary, and using the access numbers supplied by niftylist, I can dial a Hungarian landline for 1p per min or mobile for 5p per min (plus connection fee obviously). Whereas 18185 offer the inflated rates of 2p and 12p respectively. 1889 offers even higher rates of 4p and 15p. I won't even bother with the rates that fixed line suppliers want. It pays to shop around, which is the idea of this and other sites. But the info will not be there if people do not offer their personal experience and investigation. If others using their lines can offer cheap prices and still make money, why can't they.

Thank you for your time.

To Farci
The answer to your question would be yes,, but please read on before you start making calls to BT etc.

If you were to dial a number directly from BT (and for the sake of typing, BT is only an example) you would not be charged if the call failed to connect. No call charge, no minimum, Nothing.
However, when you are dialling an access number to get the cheaper calls, here my example is the number I use, you have made a connection.

eg To dial UK mobiles at 5p per minute I dial 0844 452 0005
As soon as their system picks up, a connection is made.
I then dial the mobile I require, we'll say it's you, using the full international number ie. 00447973******
If you answer, then we talk.
If however you do not answer, then I can choose to make another call or hang up.
The per minute is applicable for the length of time I am connected to their system.
Thus BT will charge me 5p to connect to their computer, then 1p per minute whilst I stay connected.

It is much the same as when you ring a firm and get put on hold for someone. Their extension is ringing with no reply. But you are still being charged.

As always, there will be occasions when the person you ring is not responding. That becomes your loss that you have to swallow. But that loss is outweighed by the saving when you do connect.

Hopefully I made that clear.

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