# Good, cheap international long distance **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 8, 2007, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-cheap-international-long-distance/421946 "2007-10-08T16:04:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-cheap-international-long-distance/421946/1 "2007-10-08T16:04:20Z")
It looks like I’ll be making quite a few phone calls to Mozambique the next two years (my daughter is in the Peace Corps there) and I’m looking for the least expensive way to make calls to there from the US. I can get $1.39 a minute from Verizon, but would like to find something better. The problem is both finding a provider and getting some idea if they are dependable. This would be from a landline phone; we do have a Virgin Mobile cell phone that’s supposed to be $0.25 a minute, but it has no speaker and Mrs. Chuck and I would like to listen in. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-cheap-international-long-distance/421946/2 "2007-10-08T16:36:43Z")
I like using Skype. Its not really long distance in that you don’t use it on your phone, you use it on your computer. You can use it to call cell phones and landlines. It looks like Mozambiq is $0.18 a minute. [Here](http://www.skype.com/intl/en/prices/callrates/) is a link to the international rates. If she is taking a computer and will have a broadband connection, then the call will be free as Skype to Skype calls are free. They also have a video function so you can make video calls. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-cheap-international-long-distance/421946/3 "2007-10-08T17:03:12Z")
I second Skype. I use it for my business phone, and it’s been great. I even bought a Skype Phone (made by LinkSys) which allows you to bypass the computer altogether - you just hook a doohickey up to your modem and/or router. It’s just like a phone, only a hell of a lot cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-cheap-international-long-distance/421946/4 "2007-10-08T17:42:37Z")
Another vote for Skype. My keyboard died a few months ago, so I replaced it with [this one](http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard_mice_combos/devices/136&cl=us,en) since I use Skype pretty frequently. I love it. The sound quality of the speaker is excellent and everyone I talk to says I sound just fine. I also love the quick dial and speed dial buttons on the keyboard. I’ve been reading a lot of good reviews of [MagicJack](http://www.magicjack.com/site/index.html), but I don’t think I’ll check it out at all. Between my cell and Skype and Gizmo Project, I’m pretty set phone-wise. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-cheap-international-long-distance/421946/5 "2007-10-08T18:13:34Z")
If you have broadband (cable/DSL) Skype should work fine, but if your on dialup it may be a problem - also long latency (satalite) internet may also be problematic. I don’t know if it is, just want to point out this potential problem.