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Bubba

May 11, 2004, 10:19 AM

Post #1 of 6 (914 views)

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Internet Long Distance Services

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We have lived here about three years and use a call back service which costs us $0.22 per minute to the U.S. and France. We understand that the internet offers long distance calling at a fraction of that cost to both the U.S. and Europe. Have any of you had any experience along these lines? If so, what reliable service have you used? Any pitfalls?

Thanks in advance.

(This post was edited by Bubba on May 11, 2004, 10:19 AM)

lmaxine

May 11, 2004, 10:21 AM

Post #2 of 6 (904 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Internet Long Distance Services

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Hi, Bubba, I have used the callback that you mentioned, but now use the internet phone for 1.1/min. It's iconnecthere.com and I took the last option, which is pay per call. I put in money via the credit card, and have had NO problems at all. This is the same one Esperanza has recommended.
"He upon whose heart the dust of Mexico has lain will find no peace in any other land." Malcolm Lowry

esperanza

May 11, 2004, 11:02 AM

Post #3 of 6 (896 views)

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Re: [lmaxine] Internet Long Distance Services

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I've used www.iconnecthere.com for years, and it just keeps getting better. I use it with my dialup Prodigy service and have had excellent connections. Once in a while there are blips in the service, but those normally depend on time of day and day of the week that I'm using it. If you have a high speed connection, the service is probably better.

To use the service, you download the free software from the website, choosing the calling plan you want. I use the North American plan, at the cost that lmaxine mentioned~1.1 cents per minute to call the USA or Canada. Calling France will be a little more expensive--maybe 5 or 6 cents a minute. Once you choose a plan, you ante up an amount of your choosing using a credit card, and boom. You're on. You make the call from your computer (you'll see how easy it is); your callee's TELEPHONE rings.

You'll want a microphone/earphones headset for best reception. Martín Leal has them at his computer shop on Ocampo for around 150 pesos or less.

And you are aware of the web-based voice chat services? MSN's is great, available free at www.msn.com. And there's a new one called SKYPE (www.skype.com) that's also excellent, and also free. You get your nearest and dearest to download the free software, you download it, and you can talk to them for hours for free. I use my headset for those chats as well; the voice quality is excellent, there's rarely an echo or a delay, and you sure can't beat free. With these two services you call anywhere in the world, computer to computer, for no money at all.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

johnv

May 11, 2004, 7:21 PM

Post #4 of 6 (847 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Internet Long Distance Services

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Iconnecthere current exact fees: Mexico to France, per minute plan, 4.7 to 5.9 cents per minute-PC to phone-depending on which per minute plan, and 21.6 to 27 cents per minute PC to mobile phone.
Mexico to USA and Canada: per minute plan, 2.9 cents per minute. "North America 400" plan, 1.5 cents per minute if you use all 400 minutes.
I use the 400 plan and have had some disconnection problems, but I think that it is because of the ISP, not Iconnecthere. When I'm disconnected, I simply call back.

Miguelito

May 12, 2004, 5:22 AM

Post #5 of 6 (819 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Internet Long Distance Services

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I use PCCall, a little higher at about 2.3 cents a minute Mexico to the US. No problems.

Los que cantan oran dos veces! (Those who sing pray twice!)

Bubba

May 12, 2004, 7:41 AM

Post #6 of 6 (795 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Internet Long Distance Services

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Thanks to you all and Jerry who sent me a private reply. We signed up with iconnecthere.com and called my sisite in law in Paris at a savings of about $0.17 US per minute. We are very pleased.