We have for some time been using 18185 to call Thailand but prior to that were using 18866.

When we switched, I never bothered to cancel our 18866 account, mainly because we may want to use it again some time. I did change all the numbers stored in our phone, but unfortunately missed one belonging to friends of ours who live in Holland. We hadn't called them for some time, but did so a couple of times in August.

So, on 1/9 at 04:19 18866 sent me an e-mail invoice. I was surprised, but on checking the invoice saw that the number called was our friends in Holland. Checking their number stored in our phone, I saw that I hadn't amended it, so did so and thought that would be that.

However, I forgot that since we last used 18866 I had changed both my bank and my credit card provider, but had not updated the payment details on the 18866 website, we never used them and it slipped my mind.

On 1/9 at 17:40 they sent me an e-mail to say that payment had failed, and I should visit their site to update my payment details.

I didn't see this until Saturday morning, but immediately went to the site to change my details. But, every time I tried to do so I got a message saying "An error has occurred, try again." I tried several times before giving up and e-mailing 18866 to ask for their advice on how to proceed.

Then Noi tried to phone her sister, using 18185, and got a recorded message saying that calls were blocked. I queried this with 18185, and received the following

quote:

We are sorry to inform you that your account has been blocked, although you have paid all outstanding invoices related to this account. This is most likely caused by having another customer number with an outstanding amount. This outstanding balance could also be with another company (for example Call18866) as several telecom companies make use of the same payment collection system.
(my emphasis)

I replied, outlining my difficulties with paying 18866, and asking that they remove the block. Their reply was that they didn't put the block on, so they can't remove it!

18866 finally replied (2/9 at 20:15) to say that everything was fine their end, so I should try again. I did so several times on Sunday morning, but still got the same error message, so I e-mailed them again.

They replied (4/9 at 05:24) saying I should try again and if it still wasn't working then I should e-mail them my card details. I was very reluctant to send card details through an insecure e-mail, but did so to get this sorted at 08:38 this morning.

As yet (13:13) no money has been taken, and calls via 18185 are still blocked!

They don't give any phone numbers on their website, so I can't phone them. Unless any of you good people know a phone number for them?

So, if anyone has one of these accounts that they no longer use, get onto their website and cancel it. Especially if you are still using a similar account with a different company. The time elapsed between the original invoice and the failed payment notice and the block being put on our account was only 13 hours and 21 minutes!

BTW, the amount involved? £2.43!!

Meanwhile, I'm off to have another, closer, look at Skype.

quote:

Meanwhile, I'm off to have another, closer, look at Skype.

Don't! Far too expensive! Have a look at www.VoIPDiscount.com instead! The rate for calls to Thailand, either landlines or mobiles, is currently 0p per minute. Just the need to throw €10 into the account every so often, but even that can be used for chargeable calls, such as to UK 0870 numbers, so in this house it does not go to waste.

Yep, just had another look at Skype, and it is very expensive to call a phone from.

VoipDiscount looks good, especially as it's free to Thai landlines and mobiles (for how long, I wonder) but the problem there is that herself doesn't like calling via the computer, but prefers to use the phone so she can walk around while talking. Also, could she use it while someone else was doing something on the computer, e.g. Poy doing homework (or more likely chatting to her friends via MSN or downloading music! )

quote:

could she use it while someone else was doing something on the computer

Yes, no problem!

The thing I still find strange is that, for example, when Nat is using the VoIP phone to phone her parents .... the (normal) phone rings if someone is calling us. So we can both be on the phone at the same time.

Need a VoIP phone? Lots of examples ... here!. The model we have here is the A72FF one. And Nick, I see they also do a wireless VoIP phone ... given that your wife likes to wander around when talking on the phone.

Thanks, John.

I'll put it forward and see if the boss likes the idea!

Forget those numbers Nick and use some of these listed in
niftylist

quote:

Originally posted by Noi & Nick:

quote:

We are sorry to inform you that your account has been blocked, although you have paid all outstanding invoices related to this account. This is most likely caused by having another customer number with an outstanding amount. This outstanding balance could also be with another company (for example Call18866) as several telecom companies make use of the same payment collection system.

.

Then you might want to warn both companies of the protection afforded to consumers under the Data Protection Act and how data can and cannot be used!

quote:

Then you might want to warn both companies of the protection afforded to consumers under the Data Protection Act and how data can and cannot be used!

Tobias, all these companies are actually in the same ownership. 18866 .... 18185 ... 1899 ... VoIPDiscount ... all operated by the same company. And probably some other trading names I have not listed.

Hadn't thought of data protection implications.

I will certainly be putting a complaint into Ofcom.

75 hours since I first notified them of the problem and 27 hours since I sent them my payment details, and calls are still blocked!

telesavers isnt bad,if you have a bt landline,it costs me 3p a minute to call a mobil.just call 08444397397 and follow the instructions.also if you are calling from a mobil in thailand to a mobil in england,put 009 before 44 and the number,and you get the call 30% cheaper.

sleby,
Good advice 009 which I have also had from other members and will inform the good lady in LOS!
colin 244

Sleby,
Noi was using this number this morning to talk to her sister, and after about 30 minutes a recorded message cut in to say, in English, that the time was up. She was then cut off. She called again and this time the same thing happened after 5 minutes.

Is this normal?

Hi,

If you need a VoIP handset, Tesco have an offer that runs until 17/09/06 of a USB handset for £9.98 that includes a £5 call voucher. Their rate at 6p/min to Thailand is not good but if you look at it as being a handset for less than a tenner and a fivers worth of free calls...

Once the voucher has run out, just use the handset on one of the services the John mentions above.

http://www.tescointernetphone.co.uk/

J

quote:

Originally posted by Noi & Nick:
Sleby,
Noi was using this number this morning to talk to her sister,

Why would she be doing that Nick? That is paying 3p a minute when she could be paying 1p or 2p on the numbers below.

0844 861 28 28 1p DialWise 1
020-81 801 801 1p TopUp Discount.
0208-1 802 802 1p Tele Top
0844 721 2525 1p Clever Rates
0844 861 21 21 1p 0844 calls
020 8497 0123 1.20p CheapestChat
0844 462 39 39 2p Phone Cheap
0844 462 35 35 2p Discount Dial
0844 747 00 02 2p Abroadtel
0844 462 27 27 2p BestMinutes
0844 747 4 747 2p Penny Phone
0844 462 25 25 2p CheapestCalls
0844 462 34 34 2p Dialaround

These numbers are all from niftylist.co.uk I mentioned previously.

Thanks, Chris.

I missed your post first time around. Since following your link to niftylist we've been using 08442008585 for landlines at 0.5p per minute and 08448612121 for mobiles at 1p per minute.

I have exchanged many e-mails with 18866 and every suggestion they have made hasn't worked, I just keep getting an error message. I offered to send them a cheque, they don't take cheques. I have offered to send them the cash, no response to that one yet.

Meanwhile as 18185 is run by the same company my 18185 account is still blocked. That company is Finarea SA in Switzerland. Attempts to contact them have so far been unanswered.

The forum on niftylist has several posts from Finarea users who have had similar problems.

I have made a complaint to Ofcom, and await their response. Whatever happens I wont be using this company, in any of it's guises, again.

Nick,

Just seen your post - I had exactly the same experience with 18866 - changed card and missed payment etc. Lots of e-mails to them with the same reply - everything fine at our end.

They even suggested that I contact BT and have everything tested - I did, nothing wrong. Eventually they simply stopped replying to my e-mails and the block stayed in place. When I installed a second line for my fax machine I found I could register with 18185 - and I'm still registered now.

Thanks, Flip, but unfortunately installing a second line is not an option at this time.

You could ask for a new number from BT

ash

Why bother? They don't deserve your business

I know what I would do.

Exactly, Tobias. As I said earlier

quote:

I have made a complaint to Ofcom, and await their response. Whatever happens I wont be using this company, in any of it's guises, again.

quote:

Originally posted by John:
Have a look at www.VoIPDiscount.com

I have since discovered that VoIPDiscount is also owned by Finarea.

I use 0844 861 2121 and pay 1p a minute thanx to this forum

quote:

Originally posted by sleby:
telesavers isnt bad,if you have a bt landline,it costs me 3p a minute to call a mobil.just call 08444397397 and follow the instructions.also if you are calling from a mobil in thailand to a mobil in england,put 009 before 44 and the number,and you get the call 30% cheaper.

I know there might be cheaper options...But I too use Telesavers, as I usually find the line quality very good...

Nick

Nick,
Agreed slightly more expensive but quality good and I for one would rather this route than an angry Thai lady being cut off mid conversation to her mother
colin 244