Paying to receive calls?

Just spoke to my wife. She's in New York. She has a pre-paid SIM from AT&T in
her N95i. My call via Mynetfone cost me nothing according to the account (it
should have cost ten cents flat rate). But my wife, after she hung up, retrieved
the call cost for her end. $1.80. Or 10 cents a minute (we were on for 18
mins.).

They charge air time for receiving calls, as we all know.

Not a bad earner for the telcos over there, huh?

Dunno what the call rate is for a call locally or even back here to Oz. Will
find out though.

Anyway, still ****loads cheaper than if she had int'l roaming going (the SIM
card is activated for it but is not in the phone). I think, from memory, on top
of the normal call charges that Optus charges around $1.50 a minute. Had I
called her that may have cost her (or me as I pay the bills) around $27.

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Snapper <[email protected]> wrote:

> Just spoke to my wife. She's in New York. She has a pre-paid
> SIM from AT&T in her N95i. My call via Mynetfone cost me
> nothing according to the account (it should have cost ten cents
> flat rate). But my wife, after she hung up, retrieved the call cost
> for her end. $1.80. Or 10 cents a minute (we were on for 18 mins.).

You should have installed mynetfone on the N95, it works fine on mine and is built in.

Then it would have been free if she was in a wifi zone.

> They charge air time for receiving calls, as we all know.

> Not a bad earner for the telcos over there, huh?

> Dunno what the call rate is for a call locally or even back here to Oz. Will find out though.

> Anyway, still ****loads cheaper than if she had int'l roaming
> going (the SIM card is activated for it but is not in the phone).

And even cheaper my way, free in fact.

> I think, from memory, on top of the normal call charges that
> Optus charges around $1.50 a minute. Had I called her that
> may have cost her (or me as I pay the bills) around $27.

Rod Speed wrote...

> You should have installed mynetfone on the N95, it works fine on mine and is built in.

Wasn't aware of that.
>
> Then it would have been free if she was in a wifi zone.

Aha. I knew that there was a catch.

Where she is, on Long Island and in a weathy part of the Island too, mobile
phone coverage is pretty ordinary she was telling me. In fact she hasn't seen 3G
reception since she's been there. This is despite AT&T's claims that it's
expanding its coverage. The coverage map for the area says that there should be
some but no-one there has seen it. But then I don't know if my wife's N95i will
pick it up, anyway. I don't know what freqs that 3G there works on.

As for WiFi hotspots, it is to larf....

Snapper <[email protected]> wrote
> Rod Speed wrote

>> You should have installed mynetfone on the N95, it works fine on mine and is built in.

> Wasn't aware of that.

The SIP details are on the MNF site.
https://www.mynetfone.com.au/support...fone-on-the-go

>> Then it would have been free if she was in a wifi zone.

> Aha. I knew that there was a catch.

Nope, it works over mobile too.

> Where she is, on Long Island and in a weathy part of the Island too,
> mobile phone coverage is pretty ordinary she was telling me. In fact
> she hasn't seen 3G reception since she's been there. This is despite
> AT&T's claims that it's expanding its coverage. The coverage map for
> the area says that there should be some but no-one there has seen it.

It works fine over EDGE and thats been around for a long time now.

> But then I don't know if my wife's N95i will pick it up, anyway.
> I don't know what freqs that 3G there works on.

Its fine.

> As for WiFi hotspots, it is to larf....

Bet it isnt. Where is she staying ?

Rod Speed wrote...

> >> Then it would have been free if she was in a wifi zone.
>
> > Aha. I knew that there was a catch.
>
> Nope, it works over mobile too.

Yeah, but what's the cost? ie. what amount of data would a voip call that's used
over the mobile cost compared to a standard voice call costs?

I'd be surprised if there were any savings. But then, I'm easily surprised, I
s'pose.

> > As for WiFi hotspots, it is to larf....
>
> Bet it isnt. Where is she staying ?

A place called St. James. It's about 130 klicks from Manhattan. Those who watch
Seinfeld may remember an ep where that short bald guy took his new girlfriend
with Jerry and them to a holiday or weekender out at a place called The
Hamptons. Well, that's near, sort of, to where my wife's staying.

(this is one of the 4 eps that I've seen of that show...)

Snapper <[email protected]> wrote
> Rod Speed wrote

>>>> Then it would have been free if she was in a wifi zone.

>>> Aha. I knew that there was a catch.

>> Nope, it works over mobile too.

> Yeah, but what's the cost?

Depends on the data plan you have chosen to have.

> ie. what amount of data would a voip call that's used over
> the mobile cost compared to a standard voice call costs?

It can be free with a decent cap.

> I'd be surprised if there were any savings.

Then be surprised.

> But then, I'm easily surprised, I s'pose.

True.

>>> As for WiFi hotspots, it is to larf....

>> Bet it isnt. Where is she staying ?

> A place called St. James. It's about 130 klicks from Manhattan.

Nar, I meant what sort of place there.

> Those who watch Seinfeld may remember an ep where that short bald guy took
> his new girlfriend with Jerry and them to a holiday or weekender out at a place
> called The Hamptons. Well, that's near, sort of, to where my wife's staying.

There should be free wifi there.

> (this is one of the 4 eps that I've seen of that show...)

I believe you. Thousands wouldnt.

Michael wrote...

> > They charge air time for receiving calls, as we all know.
> >
> > Not a bad earner for the telcos over there, huh?
>
> The cost of calling her (from the US) is a normal call cost.
>
> So no "extra" revenue for receiving calls, its just that the call cost is
> split b/w the A and B parties, not just borne by the B party

I think that you've misunderstood me. If I've misunderstood you misunderstand me
then my apologies.

But I called her on a pre-paid SIM that she has from AT&T. She said that she
gets charged 10 cents/min for airtime regardless of where the call originates
from.

Now get this, she also gets charged to RECIEVE SMSes, as well as to send them.

I think that it's 18c a message. So in effect the carrier(s) will get up to 36
cents a pop.

Now, I can understand being charged airtime to receive a call because of the way
that their phone numbering system works (no diff between landline/mobile), but
when you send an SMS there is an automatic assumption that it's coming from one
mobile and going to another. So why the ripoff?

Apparently the Americans accept the way that is. It's also apparent that mobile
phone takeup is not as all encompassing as it is here in Oz from what she's seen
so far. Not everyone has a mobile. And the coverage isn't as good as here (in
metro/urban areas) either. This is particularly so for 3G services.

When she went to the local mall to get a SIM card the first vendor that she
approached said that they don't use SIM cards in their phones. That was Verizon.
I haven't checked the website but I assume that Verizon must be exclusively CDMA
still. But when she wandered up to an AT&T stand the fellow simply asked her how
much did she want on the SIM. (She got $100).

She was hoping that she could get a Verizon one as it seems that most people
that she knows is with that mob. Not sure what extras she pays for to call from
ATT to Verizon, if anything.

Yeah, so all in all perhaps we shouldn't ***** as much as we do with Telstra.
Still, it is fun, I s'pose, and the Aussie way to have a good whinge, huh?


--
Computer games don't affect kids... I mean, if Pacman affected us as kids, we'd
all run around in a darkened room munching pills and listening to repetitive
music.

Will Kemp wrote...

> ****loads if you're roaming, i'm sure. Data roaming is only for the very
> rich usually. Voice calls while you're roaming are stupidly expensive,
> but data roaming makes Telstra's domestic data prices look almost cheap.
> If you haven't checked out Optus's charges, you'll probably be in for a
> shock when the bill comes in.

Hopefully we won't be. She was unable to get roaming going before she bought the
prepaid SIM off AT&T. She'll no doubt be using it when she gets to London and
when in Singapore, intially to grab the taxi, shuttle or whatever to get to the
hotels. Then, if there's a SIM outlet nearby to get one for use in the UK. I
doubt that she'll bother in SIN, as she's only there for one day.


--
Computer games don't affect kids... I mean, if Pacman affected us as kids, we'd
all run around in a darkened room munching pills and listening to repetitive
music.

Rod Speed wrote...

> > ie. what amount of data would a voip call that's used over
> > the mobile cost compared to a standard voice call costs?
>
> It can be free with a decent cap.

Such as? ie. what cap are you on that allows VOIP over the mobile to be worth it
compared to having a basic voice cap plan such as the Optus $49 one?

> > A place called St. James. It's about 130 klicks from Manhattan.
>
> Nar, I meant what sort of place there.

Someone's house.

> > (this is one of the 4 eps that I've seen of that show...)
>
> I believe you. Thousands wouldnt.

Their problem. I detest the show.


--
Copy from one, it's plagiarism; copy from two, it's research.

Snapper <[email protected]> wrote
> Rod Speed wrote

>>> ie. what amount of data would a voip call that's used over
>>> the mobile cost compared to a standard voice call costs?

>> It can be free with a decent cap.

> Such as? ie. what cap are you on that allows VOIP over the mobile to be
> worth it compared to having a basic voice cap plan such as the Optus $49 one?

I do it on wifi myself.

The 3 plans are pretty decent value.

>>> A place called St. James. It's about 130 klicks from Manhattan.

>> Nar, I meant what sort of place there.

> Someone's house.

Dont they have wifi ? It doesnt cost much to take wifi with you for that situation.

>>> (this is one of the 4 eps that I've seen of that show...)

>> I believe you. Thousands wouldnt.

> Their problem. I detest the show.

I believe you. Thousands wouldnt.

Snapper <[email protected]> wrote
> Michael wrote

>>> They charge air time for receiving calls, as we all know.

>>> Not a bad earner for the telcos over there, huh?

>> The cost of calling her (from the US) is a normal call cost.

>> So no "extra" revenue for receiving calls, its just that the call
>> cost is split b/w the A and B parties, not just borne by the B party

> I think that you've misunderstood me. If I've misunderstood you
> misunderstand me then my apologies.

> But I called her on a pre-paid SIM that she has from AT&T. She said
> that she gets charged 10 cents/min for airtime regardless of where
> the call originates from.

> Now get this, she also gets charged to RECIEVE SMSes, as well as to send them.

> I think that it's 18c a message. So in effect the carrier(s) will get up to 36 cents a pop.

> Now, I can understand being charged airtime to receive a call because
> of the way that their phone numbering system works (no diff between
> landline/mobile), but when you send an SMS there is an automatic
> assumption that it's coming from one mobile and going to another. So
> why the ripoff?

Because they can, because they have got their users used to that with voice calls.

> Apparently the Americans accept the way that is.

Yep. And they also get a lot of included time with most of their plans etc too.

> It's also apparent that mobile phone takeup is not as all encompassing
> as it is here in Oz from what she's seen so far. Not everyone has a mobile.

Hardly anyone doesnt.

> And the coverage isn't as good as here (in metro/urban areas) either.

Varys with the carrier you're using. There system is a lot more fragmented on that than ours are.

> This is particularly so for 3G services.

Yeah, they're quite late with that.

> When she went to the local mall to get a SIM card the first vendor that she
> approached said that they don't use SIM cards in their phones. That was Verizon.

Because GSM is only a small part of their system.

> I haven't checked the website but I assume that Verizon must be exclusively CDMA still.

Yep.

> But when she wandered up to an AT&T stand the fellow simply
> asked her how much did she want on the SIM. (She got $100).

> She was hoping that she could get a Verizon one as it
> seems that most people that she knows is with that mob.

Thats largely true.

> Not sure what extras she pays for to call from ATT to Verizon, if anything.

Varys with the plan etc. It would be significantly cheaper with a Verizon handset.

And they cost peanuts.

> Yeah, so all in all perhaps we shouldn't ***** as much as we do with Telstra.

I think you should wash your mouth out with soap and water and go to your room.

> Still, it is fun, I s'pose, and the Aussie way to have a good whinge, huh?

Yep, thats the other obvious difference.

Rod Speed wrote...

> Dont they have wifi ? It doesnt cost much to take wifi with you for that situation.

One place does, but it's intermittent and is supplied by the landlord of the
apartment that she's staying in. In any case the N95 doesn't have the VOIP
software on it so far as I'm aware. The other place where she is at the moment
only has cable internet. She can't even connect her laptop (which does have
wifi). So she's using the PC for normal PC stuff.

We were hoping to fire up Skype between our laptops both of which have web cams
built in. Then we'd be able to video chat for free.

"Michael" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Snapper" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Just spoke to my wife. She's in New York. She has a pre-paid SIM from
>> AT&T in
>> her N95i. My call via Mynetfone cost me nothing according to the account
>> (it
>> should have cost ten cents flat rate). But my wife, after she hung up,
>> retrieved
>> the call cost for her end. $1.80. Or 10 cents a minute (we were on for 18
>> mins.).
>>
>> They charge air time for receiving calls, as we all know.
>>
>> Not a bad earner for the telcos over there, huh?
>
> The cost of calling her (from the US) is a normal call cost.
>
> So no "extra" revenue for receiving calls, its just that the call cost is
> split b/w the A and B parties, not just borne by the B party
>
>
>
The only parties you know about include some bum-fun with Sol and Phil B


** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

Snapper <[email protected]> wrote
> Rod Speed wrote

>> Dont they have wifi ? It doesnt cost much to take wifi with you for that situation.

> One place does, but it's intermittent and is supplied
> by the landlord of the apartment that she's staying in.

Thats why you take it with you for peanuts.

> In any case the N95 doesn't have the VOIP software on it so far as I'm aware.

Yes it does, its built in. Nokia call it Internet Telephone or
Internet tel. in the handset and voip as well in the manual.

> The other place where she is at the moment only has cable internet.
> She can't even connect her laptop (which does have wifi).

Thats why you take wifi with you.

> So she's using the PC for normal PC stuff.

> We were hoping to fire up Skype between our laptops both of which
> have web cams built in. Then we'd be able to video chat for free.

And you'd be able to do that if she took wifi with her.

Rod Speed wrote...

> Thats why you take wifi with you.
>
> > So she's using the PC for normal PC stuff.
>
> > We were hoping to fire up Skype between our laptops both of which
> > have web cams built in. Then we'd be able to video chat for free.
>
> And you'd be able to do that if she took wifi with her.

You've lost me here. How do you "take wifi with you"?


--
The only difference between the wingnuts on each end of the political spectrum
is *which* civil rights they think we can do without