Compare cheap international calls

Do you want cheap international calls so you can call your family and friends abroad more frequently and without worrying about the cost? Finding cheap international calls is easier than you may think — simply follow this guide.

Many people don’t realise that as well as using a fixed-line supplier such as BT or ntl, you can also use an additional international call supplier – known as a secondary supplier – such as Primus, Planet Talk and First:Telecom.

These secondary suppliers often offer cheap international calls — and some specialise in cheap calls to particular countries. And it doesn’t stop there, as some secondary suppliers also work out cheaper for local and national calls.

Compare international call suppliers on the uSwitch.com phone switching service.

Using a secondary supplier involves re-routing your international calls using one of the following methods:

• dialling a four-digit prefix before the phone number: This is convenient to use, but if you forget to dial the prefix your primary supplier will charge for your call instead
• plugging an auto dialler into your existing phone socket: These are very useful, though can sometimes be a bit expensive and timely to install. Also they only cover the line they’re plugged into
• registering for Carrier Pre-Selection (CPS): This automatically re-routes your calls — though is only available with a BT line or Kingston line if you live in the Hull area

When you use the re-routing method for international calls, you pay the secondary supplier for the calls you make, and pay line rental to your primary supplier.

It all depends on which countries you call, how often you call them, and at what times during the week (e.g. afternoon/evening/weekends). Where you live also makes a difference, as some suppliers are only available in certain areas of the UK.

Of course working out which supplier will offer you cheap international calls based on your requirements could be very time consuming. However by using uSwitch.com’s home phone switching service all the hard work is done for you and it only takes about 10 minutes of your time. Just enter your postcode and a few details about your phone usage — such as the countries you phone, at what times during the week, and how long for — and the calculator works out the cheapest deals for you based on your unique calling habits.