We never try to sell you anything. But we do know that you are paying too much for your phone bill. It is nearly always  possible to ring more cheaply than you think. Intense competition in the phone industry means that prices are usually falling but who should you use. We tell you !!!

If you make large numbers of phone calls to similar number types you should consider the various unlimited packages available. BT for instance offer their 'Together Unlimited' option for £18.50, which allows free calls evenings and weekends to all UK landlines (01--- or 02---). If you have to make numerous calls to a mobile, then sometimes it is cheaper to get another mobile on the same network and get a 'bulk' package. It is difficult for us to recommend specifics, without knowing the exact call volume and time.

You do not have to choose just one phone company, you can use BT (or your local company) and then use resellers or gateways for specific calls. Remember some companies offer very cheap rates per minute, but add connection charges (typically 3p - 5p).

We realise though that some of you just want to use one company and not have the bother of remembering who is the cheapest for any particular call. uSwitch have a simple system for switching companies. Their website will analyse your calling pattern and suggest a sensible new phone company (they also review gas, electric and other utilities).

National Daytime Calls

We recommend Tiscali Smarttalk (Daytime Extra tariff). They only charge 2p per minute for all geographic numbers (01---) or (02---) at all times, with no connection charge.  Breathe's First Telecom pre-pay service charge 2.3p per minute, also with no connection charge and this service is available from non-registered phones via a freefone 0808------ number. Superline also have a 2.3p rate (3p min charge).

National Evening Calls

The cheapest are Eurobell at 1.14p per minute for all 01--- and 02--- calls after 6pm(4.7p min). Vartec start their weekend at 6pm on Fridays so only cost 1p per minute on a Friday evening (min 10p call charge though)!

National Weekend calls

We recommend Eurobell again at 0.85p per minute. Remember that lots of mobile phones offer free or bulk evening and weekend calls. Use up those minutes!

International Calls

Check our rates chart for different destinations; however Planet Talk, Communications 2000, WorldxChange or Telesave often have the cheapest rates! Alpha Telecom are the cheapest to many European destinations! A recent entrant Superline have some excellent rates as well.

A special mention has to go to Just-Dial who do not even require you to have an account. All you have to do is dial their 0870 794 0000 number (excluding weekends), wait for the prompt and dial any of about twenty countries for the price of that 0870 call. If you use a firm like Alpha  to dial an 0870 number you will effectively only pay about 4p per minute for an number of popular International destinations. Some Orange tariffs let you ring 0870 numbers for less than 1p per minute in the evening!

Calling Mobiles

This can be a tricky challenge.  Vartec have a 11p per minute (all the time) rate, but have a minimum charge of three minutes. At other times you need to know which network you are calling so you can choose the best supplier!  Some suppliers route their mobile calls via the USA and back again; this can lead to delay on the line, complain if it is really bad!

Local Calls

If you make a lot of off-peak local phone calls, then you should sign up to BT's talktime packages, otherwise Skytalk is the winner with a local rate of only 0.6p per minute at the weekends and 0.89p per minute weekday evenings. AXS are only 2p per minute peak but that excludes non-geographic numbers!

All Together

You are always best off by using different suppliers at different times of the day, and to different destinations. Most of the companies let you buy small amounts of talktime, which don't expire ever.

Send email to questions at callforless.co.uk
Last modified: November 20, 2003

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