5 ways to call from your mobile for less
Using a mobile tariff with an allowance of free minutes is usually the best way to obtain cheap calls; however, if you don’t have such a tariff, making calls can be very expensive. Mobile providers also often charge for calls to freephone numbers, although this is soon going to change for consumers thanks to a ruling by Ofcom.
There can also be problems with issues such as roaming, which can often lead to a large mobile phone bill. If you are on a tariff with free minutes, then you will usually find that these do not apply when you visit other countries. Roaming costs have now been capped in Europe, but if you travel anywhere else you will find that the costs are higher.
Here are a few ways in which you can cut the cost of the calls you make.
Understand your deal
The most basic thing you can do is to understand your mobile phone deal, such as how many free minutes you get and how much you get charged for calls. With so many tariffs to choose from it can be difficult to know where to begin; therefore, check with your network provider and then find out what your options are. If you think you can get better value elsewhere, it might be worth switching to another provider.
Non-geographic calls
If you are calling a number that is not linked to a certain place in the UK, such as numbers that begin 05 and 08, you might be charged more. Some businesses use these numbers because they do not want it to appear that they are fixed to one location but most will have a standard landline number that you can call if you do a little research before you dial.
Avoid 0870 numbers
0870 numbers tend to be quite pricey and all it takes is a little research to find an alternative number covered by your free minutes. The website Say No to 0870 tracks down alternative numbers for you to dial. There are also smartphone apps such as WeQ4U that allow you to call 0800 and 0870, and most other 08s for free.
Use a call back feature
If you are often left waiting on hold when you dial call centres, use the call back feature offered by most companies rather than paying for the time you are on hold or eating into your free minute allowance. Call back will either be part of the menu when you are first connected or you may get this option while you are waiting. The WeQ4U smartphone app will carry this out for you for numbers that do not offer the call back option and works by keeping the call open and dialling you back when somebody picks up the phone.
Cheaper roaming
If you are travelling abroad, you should check the cost of calls before you go. To help keep costs down, some of our business plans come with inclusive minutes to use abroad. You can also use them from the UK to make calls abroad, too. We also have a range of money-saving add-ons for calls, texts and internet. For example you can make unlimited calls and texts in Europe for just £1.67 a day.