Quote:
Originally Posted by lulucachoo
Callback isn't always ideal, to a hotel or payphone for instance, and I make most of my calls from these places when abroad, and assume that lots of other people do as well.
It's great to have the callback feature but it means setting up the call with an internet browser, which isn't always available/ideal abroad.
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In those circumstances, a calling card with freephone access is one choice, but can be higher tariff or barred. And even a local call is chargeable at high tariffs from most hotels
So actually, if you can find out the incoming number of your hotel room, callback can be the cheapest of all, like maybe even free depending on your VoIP tariff. And if a payphone accepts incoming calls ...
Setting up from a web browser is one method, but there are several others - like calling a trigger number, either dedicated per number on the account or a portal that recognises caller ID, or sms or wap/gprs from a mobile. And not necessarily back to the same phone in any of these cases, so a mobile can be used to set up callback to a landline.
I'm not against this extra facility being thought about, but I still think some people aren't reckoning the cost of the access call.
The Voxalot web-based callback allows any numbers via your listed providers, whereas the mobile version uses only routes preset in the phonebook listing. So as you say, your choice is restricted from your hotel, which is why I hope a method can be added for ad hoc numbers from the mobile callback ...
If anyone doesn't have data facilities when roaming on their mobile, then think about getting another SIM in a spare phone; the amount of data used is modest, and for extra motivation there are also Java clients for cheap sms from 2 or 3 cents each