The purpose of this thread is to list (any/all) of the websites where you buy your phonecards from (to call Pakistan), whether the purchase is made online, or from a gas station/friend/relative e.t.c., and things of such nature. Also, if you could also please mention as to how many times you converse back and forth (such as once every month or so), that would be great.
I will start off. I buy most of my phonecards from a place known as LetsDial (apparently, the link is not working correctly due to some glitch in the system, I am assuming), and it is a pretty decent website. About a couple of months ago, they had a $4 card (with a $0.50 service/maintenance fee), totaling a mammoth straight 90 minutes of talk, with less than $5 on the stake. An hour and a half minute for a phone call, while paying very minimum charges. Since then, I have used this particular card about a couple of times, and unfortunately, it soon went out of stock, and eventually, completely vanished from their product listings, much to my disappointment.
The time period that I purchase it is once every 3-4 months, and the line (connection) is pretty much okay. It does depend on the card, sometimes voice being heard is real good, and on other times, it is not.
With that being said, the questions that I would like to ask: Where do you buy the calling cards from (if you purchase it from a website, please jot down the relevant information for us), how much are they worth, and how often do you buy it?
I dial 1019898 before dialing Pakistan, and it gives me 17 cents / min. Only available to consumers in California who are with SBC/ATT. 10 cents per connection connection. Billing in one minute increments. No monthly fees. Bill comes with regular phone bill. Call quality excellent.
Also heard good things about ringpakistan.com but never tried it myself. May be I should.
Have used Amantel.com and the rates are good. But getting connections through can be patchy. Not recommended.
Thanks for moving the thread in the appropriate section.
Faisal bhai, 17 cents/minute is quite expensive, at least in my view. A few weeks ago, before that site (I mentioned above) took down all the major phone cards, there was this one calling card I used heavily. It was 5 cents a minute. Just fantastic! No connection charges, too. You just pay a pre-paid amount of $4.50 (or $5.00), and get 90 minutes of hassle-free talking. Not sure why they have taken down some of those services, but hoping that they will resume in the near future.
I was just over at RingPakistan.com minutes before I saw your post, and saw a giant “Eid promotion = $5 cents a minute” sale banner. Upon clicking, well, you can see it for yourself:
Having gone through Amantel’s (Pakistan) phone cards section, they are also offering 5 cent a minute cards. Seems like you have tried them before. The connections are not great, I am taking? But do you still get connected? How long does it take for a connection to go through?
We use 'No Connection Fee' calling card. I believe that's what it's called. And it gives us reasonable amount of minutes. I think this has proven to be the best calling card for us so far to call Karachi.
I get these calling card accounts only for use on my cellphone. And Amantel is lately a big disappointment. The calls just won’t go through at all. Not sure what the problem is. But I am neither able to use my balance, nor am going to buy another card from them. If RingPakistan works, fine. I know about 5 cent sold out. I just got the 10 cent card. Too bad they don’t hace PIN-less dialing like Amantel. That is just so convenient.
One very very important thing to remember about calling cards (specially if you have no long distance or limited long distance minutes) make sure you get a calling card with either a local number or a toll free number.
DB, where do you reside? I am in Toronto and my better half uses this company for direct dialing and I think she pays 27cents but the connection and quality is amazing
i use http://www.lotsofminutes.com 19 cents flat havent been cheated so far. any place to watch pak-ind. series or any forum that shows highlights etc. nice century by younis. he does play against india.
For calling Isloo cards like brother si6 and visa have been the best so far. In canadian $2.50 I get 22 mins which I think is enough to talk to your loved ones.
In 2002, it was giving me 49c when Bell was at $1.27 and special discounted rate was 99c.
Then since 2003 G3 rate went down to 33c until early 2005 when they dropped it to 27c.
Since Nov 2005 it is as low as 15c/min for Pakistan and this is high quality and connection we are talking here.
I used to buy STI cards online and that used to give me 35 mins for $5 but somehow they messed up my account so I wan unable to buy it online and thus I switched to callingcardplus.com but their service quality is getting worse. :(
I buy two cards a day to call home and now I just call the local store and buy it from them that is 40 mins for $5. They never give me any discount even though I buy phone cards everyday.. stupid lalchi Indians :(
Assalamoalaykum! When I call Pakistan I use the Direct Dial ( pinless setup which directly connects me from my phone) from raza.com. How amazed I am that in all the previous years me and my family would buy physical calling cards from any phonecard store and the card would give us connection problems, it deducts amount as time passes by and mostly expires within 3 months, expensive, and very inconvenient.
I have found a tremendous difference after using the direct dial plan from Raza.com. There service is superb, very convenient and low rates....even when the lowest rate in the market is 0.11 *cents p/min...raza is giving **8.8* cents p/min to call either a mobile phone or a landline # in Pakistan...Guys visit this website..I mean hey I am sure all of us would want to call our relatives and friends in low-cost.
website: raza.com
By the way you can chat online with there agent 24/7....!
