Which number series is best for a Canadian to choose?

I just found this site a few days ago. I've registered and gotten a pair of 0844 numbers (one for SIP, one for inbound forwarding).

As many of you know, the 0844 numbers seem problematic when called from North America (I'm in Canada). While I can call the 0844 numbers from Vonage, I can't call them from my main line at home (provided by my cable television company) nor from POTS lines provided by the local phone company. Skype doesn't seem to want to connect to them either.

0870 sounds appealing but I can't use it to forward to another number during the weekend. I think most 0870s work here. (I phoned a hotel in London on an 0870 last month, from Skype, and it worked, at least.)

What series of numbers is most likely to work from Canada? Obviously I'd like to use the series that's the least expensive to call.

Thanks in advance.

Jim

Welcome to VoIP User Jim.

0870 is widely adopted and most telco's around the World will route to them (that range has been around the longest).

Problem with 0870 is Ofcom are removing them next January (in fact I need to take them off the list as an option - I keep forgetting to do that), so it's a short term thing only.

The second issue is cost, and that's something that's not possible to answer, as each telco will charge them differently. The only way to ascertain what will be charged is to speak to the telco you'll be using and ask them. Or call one of the numbers for 1 minute and wait and see what you get billed.

I'm afraid that Canada has been a problem for many using UK non-geographic DID's. It may simply be the unfortunate case that our number ranges and system are of little use to Canadians (it's not something that is within our control, so there isn't really anything we can do about it).

May be a case of suck it and see. You're of course more than welcome to try a few things, have a play with some numbers and see what happens.

Dean

Well, if nothing else an 0844 number is still useful for me. I'll be in the UK this fall for a few weeks and I can call an 0844 for 15p/min from my O2 prepaid phone, and forward it to any Canadian number I like, so it will be a good way to call home reasonably inexpensively (and I can support this site at the same time).

I'll try some of the other prefixes and see how they work. It's too bad we're losing the 0870s though.

The 0870 number does seem to work from Canada. You can route it on weekends (and in the week) via voip. (The 870 numbers are the least expensive on weekends but my experience people in the UK don't trust them). If you use voip normally and have an ATA or use a computer with voip client then you can use the SipBroker numbers in the UK. Using those you can connect for the cost of a local UK call.

this thread is a little old but the only thing I've found,

Do I understand correctly that an 844 number can not be called successfully from Canada, but from within the UK it should work? I have my 844 number forwarded to an IAX connection on an asterisk server in Montreal. I want to clarify if it's just my Canadian mobile phone that is unable to connect before I trouble shoot. Thanks

The only numbers that work at all from Newfoundland were the 0870 series (more than a year ago I tested). I recently noticed that the 0844 prefix was listed by a mainland phone provider but whether it works or not is another question (they don't operate in Newfoundland anyway). My guess is that your cell phone simply does not service the 0844 numbers. Alternatives that I have used that could be useful in the UK are Mobivox and the SipBroker numbers.
If you register with ENUM (.org) and/or with Voxalot you can use the SipBroker "free" PSTN numbers to call Canada (via SIP). It does work well but it seems that the numbers in the UK require the *013 prefix to be dialed before the ENUM. You probably have a SipBroker number in your area (unless you also live in Newfoundland!).

dibsmft :

The only numbers that work at all from Newfoundland were the 0870 series (more than a year ago I tested). I recently noticed that the 0844 prefix was listed by a mainland phone provider but whether it works or not is another question (they don't operate in Newfoundland anyway). My guess is that your cell phone simply does not service the 0844 numbers. Alternatives that I have used that could be useful in the UK are Mobivox and the SipBroker numbers. If you register with ENUM (.org) and/or with Voxalot you can use the SipBroker "free" PSTN numbers to call Canada (via SIP). It does work well but it seems that the numbers in the UK require the *013 prefix to be dialed before the ENUM. You probably have a SipBroker number in your area (unless you also live in Newfoundland!).

Thank you for the reply, however what I was trying to confirm is if someone from the UK can call this number and expect it to work, I was only calling from my Canadian Cell # for a test, if the only limitation is I can't call Call Canada from Canada via the UK I'm not worried about that . This is just an inbound number I want to use so friends in the UK (My family is there, I immigrated) can contact me if they want.

So short question - can someone from a UK phone call this DID and have it connect?

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can someone from a UK phone call this DID and have it connect?

Yes.

And you can test if all is working at your end by using the ECHO test server.

The numbers work for me. Calling out of the UK should be just fine. Calling from outside is the problem. Normally if Echo works you are OK but not always. You can't forward 0870 to a PSTN number but you can forward it to voip (as it costs nothing to do that).

As you are permanently in Canada (welcome!.... I have been here 42 yrs now) you may find that getting ATA voip devices for yourself and for them may solve your problem. Once they are working the calls cost nothing ATA to ATA and other calls are often so cheap you might be able to save money on your other providers or not bother with them.

Hi, I am also a resident of Canada and I read about this VoIPUser service and I found it very interesting. A member of my family is going to spend some time in Scotland and I wonder whether a VoIPUser DID would help on it. I have come to know that communications billing in Europe is quite complicated compared what we are used to here in North America, so here it is:

1) She will not use VoIP, but she does not care whether the call terminates on VoIP. In other words, she will use regular Payphone (I guess) or hotel or standard telephone from relatives' home.

2) Would a cheap calling card to call Canada is no more expensive than calling these non-geographic numbers?

3) If a non-geographic number is preferable, what number should I choose, in terms of cost to the caller? I read somewhere about 3p/min; to put this into a context, what is a regular payphone charge when calling a local geographic number (regular style call)?

4) I can receive that call on my ATA/softphone. Could it be forwarded for free to a Gizmo number? How about being forwarded to a regular Canadian/US number?

5) Can I make a free outbound call to her UK-based mobile?

In the end, it may not worth the trouble, but at least we will know a bit more about British Communications!

ancaster :

Hi, I am also a resident of Canada and I read about this VoIPUser service and I found it very interesting. A member of my family is going to spend some time in Scotland and I wonder whether a VoIPUser DID would help on it. I have come to know that communications billing in Europe is quite complicated compared what we are used to here in North America, so here it is:

Quote:

1) She will not use VoIP, but she does not care whether the call terminates on VoIP. In other words, she will use regular Payphone (I guess) or hotel or standard telephone from relatives' home.

The 0844 number series cost about 10 cents Can per minute - an the owner of the account gets to make some outgoing calls free. (Voipuser is non profit so the small income that comes from terminating PSTN calls is partly used to pay for outgoing calls so the "value" for the incoming call is much enhanced).

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2) Would a cheap calling card to call Canada is no more expensive than calling these non-geographic numbers?

It may well be cheaper but not if you make use of the free outgoing calls that are generated for calling Canada to the UK.

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3) If a non-geographic number is preferable, what number should I choose, in terms of cost to the caller? I read somewhere about 3p/min; to put this into a context, what is a regular payphone charge when calling a local geographic number (regular style call)?

I am not sure. I haven't used a UK call box for years as I am also in Canada. I think they have a minimum charge of about 80 cents Can that it seems gives 20 min call time. Calling 0844 number costs 28 cents/min. (Info from
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs ... statement/

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4) I can receive that call on my ATA/softphone. Could it be forwarded for free to a Gizmo number? How about being forwarded to a regular Canadian/US number?

You could use a SipBroker number (cost of local call and works to many voip systems) but the only one in Scotland is in Edinburgh

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5) Can I make a free outbound call to her UK-based mobile?

I she has a UK base mobile she may have some free calls. However, caller pays calling to UK mobiles so they can be very expensive to call from Canada.

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In the end, it may not worth the trouble, but at least we will know a bit more about British Communications!

If local to a SipBroker number then that is the best bet especially as the call may be free from the mobile. Otherwise, Voipuser is good if you take into account the free calls that you can use or experiment with. Voipuser has the advantage that calling the 0844 number connects directly to Canada is you set it up that way.

ancaster :

Hi, I am also a resident of Canada and I read about this VoIPUser service and I found it very interesting. A member of my family is going to spend some time in Scotland and I wonder whether a VoIPUser DID would help on it. I have come to know that communications billing in Europe is quite complicated compared what we are used to here in North America, so here it is: 1) She will not use VoIP, but she does not care whether the call terminates on VoIP. In other words, she will use regular Payphone (I guess) or hotel or standard telephone from relatives' home. 2) Would a cheap calling card to call Canada is no more expensive than calling these non-geographic numbers? 3) If a non-geographic number is preferable, what number should I choose, in terms of cost to the caller? I read somewhere about 3p/min; to put this into a context, what is a regular payphone charge when calling a local geographic number (regular style call)? 4) I can receive that call on my ATA/softphone. Could it be forwarded for free to a Gizmo number? How about being forwarded to a regular Canadian/US number? 5) Can I make a free outbound call to her UK-based mobile? In the end, it may not worth the trouble, but at least we will know a bit more about British Communications!

if what you are looking for is the lowest pricing and will be using tools like discount calling cards,etc. than by far the cheapest way to call is to call the Canadian number. generally the calling cards will charge very similar very low rates to all NA plus geographic european phone numbers. if they will be using a cell phone to call(without help from calling cards) than there may be some avings in using the voipuser numbers. if saving money is an issue i recommend staying away from cell phones. from canada you will likely pay 10 to 15 times the price to call a scottish cell versus a scottish land line. you may want to trake a look at sipbroker; sipbroker has local geographic numbers around the world. your family member would dial the local number and than dial a prefix code(for your gizmo account) plus your gizmo number and your phone/ATA will ring without any long distance charges. but remeber that htis only makes a big difference if you are using traditional(default) long distance calling service that charge more for canada than a local call; as i said discount calling services these days do not charge for distance(they charge based on the number called)

so remember calling cards(not a big brand name from walmart - from a small ethnic grocery store, etc.) are your cheapest way to go. calls should be to geographic numbers(not non-geo or cell phones)

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(...call box...) Calling 0844 number costs 28 cents/min.

So, if she buys a BT calling card (does such a thing exist?) and she uses a call box (nice name for a payphone!) she will be charged 14 pence per minute to call my 0844 number. No bad... If she uses a regular phone from a relative's house, it will cost 5 pence per minute.

Am I correct on the above? Out of curiosity, how much would cost if she calls Canadian phone number directly from the said call box using the calling card?

08444 at BT rates are currently 5 p/minute.

What they cost from a BT phonecard I don't know.

ancaster :

Quote: (...call box...) Calling 0844 number costs 28 cents/min. So, if she buys a BT calling card (does such a thing exist?) and she uses a call box (nice name for a payphone!) she will be charged 14 pence per minute to call my 0844 number. No bad... If she uses a regular phone from a relative's house, it will cost 5 pence per minute. Am I correct on the above? Out of curiosity, how much would cost if she calls Canadian phone number directly from the said call box using the calling card?

using the least expensive of the discount calling cards she can get the cost down below 1 pence calling to canada(or geographic number in most of europe or any NA number)