Best Calling Card for Riyadh to India calls.

rehabdoc Active member

29POSTS

14 years ago

Hello Everyone,

I shall be arriving in Riyadh later this month, and I expect that first getting the Iquama, then a mobile & internet connection is going to take 2 weeks at least.

In the meantime, can anyone guide me what would be the best (read : wallet-friendly) method of communicating back home (eg. Calling cards, cybercafes, international roaming :nothappy:etc ) ?

Thanks !

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Ackeles Contributor

182POSTS

14 years ago

i guess you can get a sim card using your pasport .. but not so sure about ..

or if you want you can buy Marahaba Cards From STC but not sure how much it costs per minuts to india.

check out this link for the cards: http://www.stc.com.sa/cws/portal/en/ind … -precrdsrv

riyadh11 Active member

86POSTS

14 years ago

Let me know when you are here, I will get you a simcard that you can use... even without your iqama or whatsoever.

let me know what you want- STC, ZAIN, FRIENDL, or MOBILY...

just bring a spare phone with you or you can buy a spare phone here... the cheapest nokia I know is less than 100 riyals.

Ackeles Contributor

182POSTS

14 years ago

riyadh11 wrote:
Let me know when you are here, I will get you a simcard that you can use... even without your iqama or whatsoever. let me know what you want- STC, ZAIN, FRIENDL, or MOBILY... just bring a spare phone with you or you can buy a spare phone here... the cheapest nokia I know is less than 100 riyals.

what is FRIENDL?

riyadh11 Active member

86POSTS

14 years ago

Ackeles wrote:
what is FRIENDL?

I am not really sure if I spelled it right... but it is like FRIENDLY or FRIENDL... it's a new SIM that I think is powered by Zain... I see it sold anywhere

TheLegendLeads ViP

5763POSTS

14 years ago

It's VOIP era mates. Why to make very very expensive international calls from STC/Mobily/Zain etc when you can talk @ 2-3 halala per minute (India)?

Ackeles Contributor

182POSTS

14 years ago

riyadh11 wrote:
Ackeles wrote:
what is FRIENDL?

I am not really sure if I spelled it right... but it is like FRIENDLY or FRIENDL... it's a new SIM that I think is powered by Zain... I see it sold anywhere

aha ..
never heard about it ..
but thanx for telling us

riyadh11 Active member

86POSTS

14 years ago

TheLegendLeads wrote:
It's VOIP era mates. Why to make very very expensive international calls from STC/Mobily/Zain etc when you can talk @ 2-3 halala per minute (India)?

aww... the IT guy is in the hawzzzz... now we're busted

riyadh11 Active member

86POSTS

14 years ago

#10

Ackeles wrote:
quote]
aha ..
never heard about it ..
but thanx for telling us

no worries

TheLegendLeads ViP

5763POSTS

14 years ago

#11

riyadh11 wrote:
aww... the IT guy is in the hawzzzz... now we're busted

LOLZ

All service providers are in constant trouble; that's how they announce promos on international calls every off and on. VOIP will kill all of them soon....!

Or they'll kill VOIP soon.... like it's banned now in UAE.

Ackeles Contributor

182POSTS

14 years ago

#12

TheLegendLeads wrote:
riyadh11 wrote:
aww... the IT guy is in the hawzzzz... now we're busted

LOLZ

All service providers are in constant trouble; that's how they announce promos on international calls every off and on. VOIP will kill all of them soon....!

Or they'll kill VOIP soon.... like it's banned now in UAE.

HAHA! .. Skype is winning any way xD

riyadh11 Active member

86POSTS

14 years ago

#13

TheLegendLeads wrote:
riyadh11 wrote:
aww... the IT guy is in the hawzzzz... now we're busted

LOLZ

All service providers are in constant trouble; that's how they announce promos on international calls every off and on. VOIP will kill all of them soon....!

Or they'll kill VOIP soon.... like it's banned now in UAE.

but sir, the mobile companies are also the same people/networks providing VOIP access here in the Kingdom right? I mean, at least most of them... "GO" I think is not, but still, they co-exist with each other... i don't know.. correct me if I am wrong... so still, reliability cannot be measured from one to another... I sill call through my mobile (overseas) because the quality of the sound is still better compared to VOIP.. or calls using the internet...

riyadh11 Active member

86POSTS

14 years ago

#14

Ackeles wrote:
TheLegendLeads wrote:
riyadh11 wrote:
aww... the IT guy is in the hawzzzz... now we're busted

LOLZ

All service providers are in constant trouble; that's how they announce promos on international calls every off and on. VOIP will kill all of them soon....!

Or they'll kill VOIP soon.... like it's banned now in UAE.

HAHA! .. Skype is winning any way xD

VIBER FTW!

rehabdoc Active member

29POSTS

14 years ago

#15

Thanks everyone for your invaluable collective input.

I'm currently using a Nokia N8 which I plan to bring with me....hope there will be no compatibility problems.

Riyadh11, I shall get in touch with you once I touchdown.

galiusman Active member

98POSTS

14 years ago

#16

Hi rehabdoc use voip as thelegendleads said the best one is nonoh.net the best voip service i personally used it when i was in New Zealand and has a very cheap rate to India and is better than phone cards which got to say have many hidden costs. All u need is a land line or mobile and u can pay using u r credit card or paypal cheerz......

Ackeles Contributor

182POSTS

14 years ago

#17

riyadh11 wrote:
Ackeles wrote:
TheLegendLeads wrote:

LOLZ

All service providers are in constant trouble; that's how they announce promos on international calls every off and on. VOIP will kill all of them soon....!

Or they'll kill VOIP soon.... like it's banned now in UAE.

HAHA! .. Skype is winning any way xD

VIBER FTW!

since im working in ISP company i tell you with the new Fiber connections you wont have any problem using the internet even for live streaming your self! LOL!

VIBER sucks!

riyadh11 Active member

86POSTS

14 years ago

#18

Now i know where to get a cheaper ISP... Hehe discounts!discounts!discounts!discounts!

Ackeles Contributor

182POSTS

14 years ago

#19

riyadh11 wrote:
Now i know where to get a cheaper ISP... Hehe discounts!discounts!discounts!discounts!

lol! im not in the marketing field .. im the Operation Dep -.-!

riyadh11 Active member

86POSTS

14 years ago

#20

Ackeles wrote:
riyadh11 wrote:
Now i know where to get a cheaper ISP... Hehe discounts!discounts!discounts!discounts!

lol! im not in the marketing field .. im the Operation Dep -.-!

oh that's a lot better.. you can install it at no cost no need to go through the red tape

Ackeles Contributor

182POSTS

14 years ago

#21

riyadh11 wrote:
Ackeles wrote:
riyadh11 wrote:
Now i know where to get a cheaper ISP... Hehe discounts!discounts!discounts!discounts!

lol! im not in the marketing field .. im the Operation Dep -.-!

oh that's a lot better.. you can install it at no cost no need to go through the red tape

LOL! You wont leave me alone until you get what you want right? :p

Monotheist Member

23POSTS

14 years ago

#22

I can get you best rates for VOIP any where in the world almost

Just tell me where do you want to call?

Alliecat ViP

8790POSTS

14 years ago

#23

You can use SKYPE computer-to-computer for free.

BUT.. you can also use your computer to call a landline or cellphone via Skype for a very reasonable fee and the connection is usually very good.

Monotheist Member

23POSTS

14 years ago

#24

You sure can, but still people are using voip services to call non-skype users because voip charges are mostly even lower then skype call charges.

Alliecat ViP

8790POSTS

14 years ago

#25

'to call non-skype users' ...

the person you call via your computer using skype doesn't have to be a skype user. You call their cell/landline. They don't even need to own a computer.

TheLegendLeads ViP

5763POSTS

14 years ago

#26

VoIP doesn't necessarily mean 'Skype'. There are many many others also who are in average 3 times less expensive.

My most internationals calls are to cells and land lines in South East Europe. Skype offers me 23 cents per minutes while my favorite MobileVoip.com gives me 7 cents a minutes.

The only 2 things you need are:
- A smartphone (even an old model nokia with SIP support will do).
- Internet: 3G or WiFi

Alliecat ViP

8790POSTS

14 years ago

#27

voip = voice over internet protocol. Yes, I know that. I also know that obviously we've all got computers so no need for a smart phone.

For me to call the US from Saudia, it was about $7/month, unlimited calling. I'd say that's pretty damned good.

However, these days I use the 'magic jack.' Much cheaper than Skype (one flat payment of .. gosh, I don't know.. $20/$30 year?) but what I like about it is that I have a US phone number, so friends can call ME, too, from their phones. And rather than using a headset, I use a regular cordless phone. However, the connection can be poor on occasion.

EDIT: Just took a look and it's like $20-30 for FIVE years!