LocalPhone Connection Problems

**Rangsit** · 26th Feb 2011, 12:20

First post so a big hello to you all.

I'm using a combination of Skype pc to pc and LocalPhone to talk to the wife in Thailand. Problem is, the LocalPhone call more often than not doesn't connect and takes many attempts/redials before the wife's phone actually rings. Sometimes not at all. SMS texts work fine.
I've contacted LocalPhone support and they tell me the portal they use to my wife's number is the best one available and therefore no way to improve the service.
Does anyone else have similar problems or can recommend another cheaprate service that works better?

Rangsit.

**w00dy39** · 26th Feb 2011, 13:33

We're having exactly the same issues as you at the moment; it actually put me through to a wrong number yesterday! My wife's visiting family in the country, I'm hoping matters improve a little when she returns to Bangkok.

**Rangsit** · 26th Feb 2011, 14:26

The wife lives just north of Bangkok Woody so don't count on it.
This is to a mobile with a True sim btw, not sure if things improve when calling a landline, I never bothered replacing the house phone after the boy broke it!

**colin244** · 26th Feb 2011, 14:43

Same problem here and yes quite often you get the wrong number but I just persist until I hear "Boyzone" singing

then I know its the correct number. Quite often I then get "why you not call me you cheap charlie" from the other half despite making numerous attempts but it just doesn't ring in LOS

(TIT)

colin 244

**Gary & Nok** · 26th Feb 2011, 21:53

Had a little trouble earlier today but got through on the third attempt and was told it was peeing down and phones not work good.

The missus phoned her sister later on and got through without any problems, at the first attempt and after the re-dial just before the hour was up. (SKY thing about free calls if less than 1 hour long, so have to re-dial)

**Mark Pickering** · 27th Feb 2011, 20:34

Hello Everyone,

I work for Localphone and would firstly like to apologies for the issues you have been experiencing with calling Thailand. We have reported this to our carriers and they are looking into this further. There appears to be some capacity issues with thailand at the moment. I am working with the carriers to get this resolved for you as soon as possible.

You can email me to discuss further at mpickering@localphone.com. I hope to have the service back up and running smoothly as soon as possible.

Regards

Mark Pickering
Localphone.com

**Rangsit** · 28th Feb 2011, 09:00

Many thanks for the input Mark. Will email you more details.

**Rangsit** · 10th Mar 2011, 09:26

Just thought I'd update this with a Thank You to Mark at LocalPhone. Its much improved with almost first time connections every time. Call quality/clarity is also good.
So, thanks again Mark for sorting it out for me.

Rangsit.

**Gary & Nok** · 4th Apr 2011, 12:30

Just to let everyone know that you need to check your bills on LocalPhone. I received an e-mail to tell me my account was low, which was great.

Having looked at my account I topped it up but then decided to look at my call history to see why I had gone through so much dosh in the last few days.

Part of the reason is Nok calling home

but then I saw that I had been charged for a 2 hour call to a number @ 18:22 and then had another charge for calling the same number @ 19:17, less than an hour later.

So how do you manage to make a call to the same number when still on the phone to that number

Luckily I was able to check my mobile log and the 2 hour call was actually 3.58 mins.

I decided to send them a mail to have a look at the problem and although I have not received a response I have noticed that my account has been credited the 2 hour call cost.

The only thing they need to do now is sort out the problem of having to ring (and be charged) half a dozen times before getting connected, or not

**bifftastic** · 29th Jul 2011, 03:20

I know this is an old thread but I just thought I'd add to it anyway

Nice to see that mark from Localphone posted on here!
I've found him to be very helpful with any problems I've had. I had a similar problem as posted above, having to call three or four times before getting connected.
Mark has put something on my account that re-credits for calls under 1 minute, so I don't pay for the non-conects!

All in all a very good service I think.

Also the ability to print the history has been very useful for my wife's visa application.

Cheers,

Biff

**millermac** · 31st Jul 2011, 08:40

My wife uses Localphone to call home and when she struggles to get through she puts it down to problems at the Thai end rather than with Localphone

**Stu1978** · 31st Jul 2011, 10:57

I have signed up to Localphone recently and have started to save money ... but i have noticed that some times the connection can come and go so i may have to make 3 - 4 calls for one conversation ... which is annoying .. also the quality is a little bit lower than what i was used to before with Orange .. but Nim blames it on the weather and if its raining that the quality is not good her end ...

But it helps me to save money and its great for logging and providing history for the visa applications etc ...

stu

**bifftastic** · 31st Jul 2011, 11:07

Originally Posted by millermac

My wife uses Localphone to call home and when she struggles to get through she puts it down to problems at the Thai end rather than with Localphone

Mrs Tastic always blames my phone!

**millermac** · 31st Jul 2011, 11:27

Yes Biff when I was in UK and she was in Thailand it was my phones fault when we were having communication problems like Stu1978 is now having and I used to think she was taking the Micky out of me. Now we are both in the UK she realises it is the Thai end.

**bifftastic** · 31st Jul 2011, 13:32

Originally Posted by millermac

Yes Biff when I was in UK and she was in Thailand it was my phones fault when we were having communication problems like Stu1978 is now having and I used to think she was taking the Micky out of me. Now we are both in the UK she realises it is the Thai end.

We actually made a joke out of it,

Me; 'oh yes, my phone not your phone...your phone is the best phone in the whole world'

'yes' she says 'Thai phone better'

Me; 'honey? Nokia is not a Thai phone!'

I actually think that the problem is, in fact, due to the voip, the bit in between the UK and Thailand, and at 1p per minute, isn't too much of a hassle. I spend around £6 a month to call her twice a day. The system is reasonably reliable and the overall service from the company, in my opinion, is first class.

If you do have any problems, using their 'help' page on the website gets a helpful response via email. I've been connected to wrong numbers, not been connected etc. and they've always done something about it.

I also used their 'incoming number' service whilst I was in Thailand. This is a local UK number that anyone can dial which connects to a Thai mobile. Charged at the same call rate and a monthly charge of (I think) 75p. Very useful for family and friends to keep in touch.

**Harvey at home** · 31st Jul 2011, 13:53

We use Skype PC to PC most of the time to our friends in Thailand who actually have a PC and an internet connection and the quality is usually very good.

For other friends without a PC in Thailand and indeed Australia the USA and Europe we have the world unlimited scheme with Skype which cost just under a tenner a month so that we can make calls to land lines and mobiles.

One of the benefits with Skype is that we also are able to make and take calls from Skype on our mobile phones, in effect giving us 24 hour x 7 days availability in case any of the relatives and friends need to contact us urgently.

Whilst out on the golf course recently I took a call from Tony an Ex-Pat living in Pattaya on Wans Iphone and was able to show him and his wife the beautiful surroundings of the Saddleworth moors through the Iphones camera.

I also think for those in Thailand who have a similar smart phone with can also down load Skype and use the same
Facility

**sisaket** · 31st Jul 2011, 14:36

mrs made calls this morning to finland and korea from PC with no problems(skype)
is localphone internet based?? or do you need a SIM ??

**Gary & Nok** · 31st Jul 2011, 16:59

When you sign up to Localphone you are given a "Local" telephone number to dial in place of the Thai mobile number, no sim is required.

You can add as many numbers as you like and you can nominate as many phones to call from as you want (mobile or land line).

**Harvey at home** · 31st Jul 2011, 20:26

For those interested, Skype also has a "Skype to go number" which is more or less the same thing as other services of this ilk and I still have one included in my Skype package but compared to the Skype world wide facility it is more expensive to use. The good thing though is that it can be used with any phone mobile or land line any where in the world to the best of my knowledge.