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Cheap phone calls in Ireland/UK

Bernie talks a lot about SkypeOut for cheap phone calls. Myself, I use a service called Telestunt. Basically, the deal is you use your regular phone to make your international calls, but at a local rate.

You dial a 1890 access number (1890 943 123) local rate from anywhere in Ireland) and then make your call. You can do it from anywhere, and you can do it from your mobile. It’s easy, and it’s cheap, as low as 1c/minute.

For calling mobile numbers, and countries further afield, there’s a 1520 number, which costs 15c/minute.

It’s not the most reliable service ever – sometimes you have to try twice to get through, but it’s cheap, and it’s easy. You don’t have to mess around with PIN numbers, and you just pay for your calls on your regular bill.

I find it hard to understand how they can do these calls quite this cheap though. I know it’s only around the same price as Skype, but Telestunt has to split the revenue with eircom, while Skype get to keep all the money they charge the customer. Still, you have to enjoy the good things while they last.

I would probably go for a VoIP solution, but what’s the point in buying the kit and setting up the account when I can get calls this cheap? And because DSL is my only option for broadband, I have to pay my line rental (EUR 25/month) whether I use my regular phone and number or not.

Disclaimer: I provide strategy consulting advice for an Irish phone company, (though not Telestunt).

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19 Comments

  1. Antoin ,here in spain you can buy a call card for 6 Euros which gives you a local number to dial and then you dial any number in Europe. the card gives you 800-yes 800 minutes talk time (at the appropriate local rate day evening tariff).!
    Is Spain the most demonopolized country in the European Union.?

  2. Thanks for the info. Should significantly reduce my phone bills.

    Helen

  3. John,

    In Ireland, you don’t even have to buy the card – you get to dial any number in europe for the cost of the local call alone.

  4. I use an irish company called CheapChat – 1c calls to the USA, Oz & nigera to name a few. Similar to the above guys and extremely CHEAP – Espically calling mobile within ireland from eircom!

  5. Seems like Telestunt has increased prices. I used that service to call India for 15 cents per minute. Now it is raised to 33 cents. Bit disappointed.

  6. I made international calls through Telestunt, but I’ve been charge by Eircom at internatuional rate and NOT as promised by Telestunt.
    Now I’m trying to contact them, but in vein…
    Please help!!!

  7. Ramson if telestunt increased their price then just start usings cheapchat.ie ‘s number (their still 15c to india) – out of all the companies that do the same thing they’re always the cheapest.

    Anat tell us more about how you got ripped off by telestunt??

  8. i use premium numbers to call bangladesh using my O2 mobile phone. Simply dial the access num and follow instruction. premium numbers:1512666999,1513666999, 1514666999.really cheap rate. jewel086@gmail.com

  9. Help! Does anyone have any tips on the cheapest way to call a UK O2 mobile from an Irish Vodafone mobile, please? I’m currently paying approx €1/minute with both ready-to-go and monthly bills.

  10. Hi, I ring a uk o2 mobile cheaper by using a uk o2 sim card with a Ireland bolton,(add on) you pay the same cost’s as if your in the uk 5p per min ,, top up using a irish o2 volcher,u get free txts every month which you can use if you sent as mms, i use it for yrs now and have saved a lot u can also send free picture messages to uk with this add on you pay £1.99 a month is works really good,, try it u can get a free sim if you go to
    http://www.o2.co.uk ,

  11. Hi I’m wondering what is the cost of Ireland’s local call plans and if its cheaper to have the states call Ireland or have Ireland call internally. I set up call centeres is why I’m asking. Thanks in advance.

  12. Hi I use a uk o2 sim card in my fone here im ireland, i have a add on called a Ireland bolton which costs £1.99 per month but you then can phone bact to the uk as if you were there,5p to any landline in uk and 5p to any other uk o2 mobile, you also get free text messages each month which you can use to the uk, u get 10% of your top up back each month and other benefits, i find it very good and you can get a free o2 sim sent to you if you go on http://www.o2.co.uk . worth trying if you have family or friends in uk, bye and good luck…

  13. hi what about from Ireland mobile to a mobile in the UK. Is that cheap? Should I use Skype instead?

  14. hi
    i just came from india .. and sont know which is chespest way to call india… right now i am using calling card but it is expensive.. can u plz help me out