Calling plans - Calling USA from Ecuador

Doesn't Skype have conference call set up ??

I use Google Voice/Talk combined with the appropriate app or application to make unlimited free calls to any phone (cellular or land line) in the U.S. (or Canada). On Android and IOS, I prefer the Talkatone App. In windows (7 or 8) and Mac OSX, I just call from within Gmail. But, I understand that Google Voice/Talk will soon be integrated into Google Hangouts, which, so far, has been impressive and easy-to-use. It is quite probable that Hangouts will meet all your needs (including messages) except where you cannot use an Internet connection. If you can, as long as the Internet connection is good, which it usually is in Ecuador, the calls work well. Voice/Talk might also be able to be used with just a cell connection, but I haven't pursued this since I have no need in that area.

You will need a U.S. voice number which you can get at the Google voice website. Although it is not advertised, if you have a U.S. Voice number and call the U.S. from Ecuador, there is no charge. I don't think the reverse is true. Since Hangouts hasn't yet fully implemented the voice feature, there is no instructions for this yet, but you may want to check out Hangouts: http://www.google.com/hangouts/

This site shows how to call from within Gmail, but I don't know how up-to-date it is. This feature is in a flux pending the switch to Hangouts so everything is very fluid at this time: http://www.google.com/chat/voice/#utm_c … _US-gizmo5

Magic Jack

Check out OOMA.

Thanks for all your input. I've spent the morning researching each suggestions. They all offer what I need at a reasonable price. Thanks every one for your time!

sequimite wrote:

Check out OOMA.

Sequimite,

The last time I checked OOMA, the call had to originate within the U.S. to be free. Has that changed? In other words, calls from an Ecuadorian IP would incur a charge. Of course, you could always spoof the IP using a VPN. Which, BTW, I do recommend. Having a U.S. IP does help with many things, like getting better access to Netflix movies. If Netflix sees an Ecuadorian IP, it restricts what is available to watch. Hulu you can't watch at all. There are also a number of other websites that deny access if you don't have an American IP. Sheesh, don't you just hate all these technical complications! We can only hope the Internet will someday have free and open access for all countries.

Joseph,
We have friends who took their Ooma to Cuenca from the States. They let me use it when I had to call my bank in Sequim, WA. There was no charge other than the monthly charge which amounts to less than $5 per month. It worked fine and I had a nice long talk from Cuenca with my banker. I now use an Omma for my principal home phone and I ported my regular number to my Ooma. There are all kinds of features available like call answering, call forwarding, caller ID and many others. I do not know if it can get calls originating from Ecuador or place calls to Ecuador numbers but my one experience last January was first class. We will be bringing our Ooma with us when we return to Cuenca in December.

sequimite wrote:

Joseph,
We have friends who took their Ooma to Cuenca from the States. They let me use it when I had to call my bank in Sequim, WA. There was no charge other than the monthly charge which amounts to less than $5 per month. It worked fine and I had a nice long talk from Cuenca with my banker.

Thanks seguimite. I sounds like it does the job. The important issue is being able to call the U.S. From here for free and you have done that. I asked because apparently, in earlier iterations, Ooma did not have that capability. Technology changes so fast, it can be difficult to keep up with. The advantage of Ooma, as I understand, is that equipment used for calling is top notch and quite attractive. I wouldn't say that about Magic Jack, although it works quite well.

The trick for any of these solutions, it seems, is having a good internet connection. I'm using Skype here in the Philippines and it's mediocre at best -- but I don't think the problem is Skype -- my connection is often only 200k or so.

I'm resurrecting an old thread to report that I bought a Magic Jack while in the States, set it up (very easy -- five minutes tops) with a Phoenix phone number, and have been using it with no problems here in Quito. I have both made and received USA calls and the call quality has been quite good.

Hello Cindy, I just bought a Windows Nokia phone. T Mobile who I currently have has been exceptional. The plan I will use with them is $ 70 dollars per month. It includes Ecuador among their 200 countries serviced. This $70 dollar plan gives me WIFI in the event for some reason I am out of their range (never happened) so no roaming charges anywhere, it includes unlimited text, data & minutes. They have other plans ranging from $50 bucks to the $ 70 plan I chose. The difference is in the data which at $50 bucks is 500MB, $60 bucks is 2.5GH and the $ 70 dollars is unlimited data.

Can't beat this with A stick.

Cindy, I also have Magic Jack which I use when I am at home through the lap top and my skype set up/