International Calling Landline Options?

[Ben]

Do any of you call international via a landline? If so, what service do you use? My dad had a super cheap one (where you dial a code before the number) that just went belly up. AT&T wants $3/min to call Germany or $6/mo to drop it to $0.10/min.

A quick Google shows a lot of other options. A LOT, so I'm having a time looking for something reputable. Thought one of you jokers might have a recommendation.

It has to be landline (copper - no internet options out this way) so he can use his hard of hearing phone. It could be AT&T ends up being the best option given the limitation.

[MillCreek]

Is Google Voice workable?

[Brad Johnson]

$36 a year to get $0.10/minute is pretty cheap talking. Might make for a nice gift from his son. 

Brad

[Hawkmoon]

When my wife was alive I used to buy pre-paid international calling cards. $10 got us about an hour of talk time to landlines in her country. Curiously, if we called a cell phone there the same $10 only got us about 10 minutes.

[cordex]

Curiously, if we called a cell phone there the same $10 only got us about 10 minutes.

I believe in many countries the caller pays for cellular minutes whereas in the US the cell phone subscriber pays for them.

[Calumus]

Is Google Voice workable?

That's my suggestion. What kind of internet speed do you have Ben?

[Ben]

That's my suggestion. What kind of internet speed do you have Ben?

5meg down if I'm lucky, 1meg up if I'm lucky. Won't work reliably (because of the unreliable up). Already looked into VOIP for myself.  

[Jamisjockey]

People still have landlines?

[Ben]

People still have landlines?

92 year old guys in rural areas do. :)

[Calumus]

Is cell service reliable there?  Either a hot-spot, or the Google Voice app on a cell would be an alternative. It's 1 cent a minute to Germany.

[Ben]

Is cell service reliable there?  Either a hot-spot, or the Google Voice app on a cell would be an alternative. It's 1 cent a minute to Germany.

I was thinking of that too, but he needs a special phone to hear, plus while 4G is often 10mbps around here, it's also often 4-5mbps.

I'm kinda at the point where before buying any special or extra hardware, I'll just tell AT&T to add international calling to the landline and call it good.