Bonjour,

I have started to use 18866/1899 instead of my Toucan account but have encountered 'all lines' busy on a number of occassions. Are they overwhelmed with demand for their cheap calls and upon reflection, should i stick with Toucan? Anyone else had the same problem?

Cushty

Del Boy.

Sounds like you're working for BT Del! ;D

If it was "All lines busy" then perhaps it was BT's fault and all lines were busy, but more likely the Exchange was !! That's not unusual for BT to do that at various times of day, though personally I have never had a problem with 18866 yet (touching wooden cabinet), but pigs DO fly so I await my first !   :-X

I don't often get a problem with OneTel, yet over the last year or so I've had a few, and I'm not talking about Admin (had some of those), just connection type problems, but I still find them very good overall.  

I have looked at Telesavers for my overseas calls, as it seemed cheaper than 18866, but the 0844 on BT is charged /min unlike 18866 /sec overseas call charges, even if they do add a 1p connection charge.

Bonjour! Thanks for your replies. I have been using Toucan for the last 4 months and never had a problem making calls. I had previously used One Tel and TalkTalk and these have also been fine. It's only when i have tried 18866/1899 that i have encontered problems in dialling out, this has been at different times of the day. Can all you other customers out there stop using their service so that i can use it freely!! And NO, i don't work for BT.......i'm a entrepreneur market trader.
Lovely jubbly!

Del Boy.

I too have started getting busy signals on 18866 just after dialling 18866,before dialling the actual number I am trying to reach. As of this week the price to France has gone up from 1p to 2p per minute. I wonder how long the cheap calls will last!!

Will still take some time before it reaches BT's charges for France etc, though - so let's enjoy it while we can!

wrote on Sep 26^th, 2004 at 2:38pm:

I too have started getting busy signals on 18866 just after dialling 18866,before dialling the actual number I am trying to reach. As of this week the price to France has gone up from 1p to 2p per minute. I wonder how long the cheap calls will last!!

At least the price announcement made you aware (and gave you the chance to hang up) before the call was connected.  Imagine BT doing that when they put their prices up!

It appears we're now into a 'shop around' era and I found the below link on another site very useful in that regard (ways to still get your French calls for 1p/minute).

http://niftylist.co.uk/

Thanks for the niftylist. I think that the 1p to France is on telediscount at weekends only. The main drawback with telediscount is that you are charged from the moment the number you dial starts ringing so that even if no one answers or the line is engaged there is still a charge, while this happens at the weekend 1p rate this doesn't matter but at other times if you are trying repeatedly to connect it could be a bother. Does the minimum 5p BT call charge apply to telediscount calls?

wrote on Sep 27^th, 2004 at 10:30am:

Thanks for the niftylist. I think that the 1p to France is on telediscount at weekends only. The main drawback with telediscount is that you are charged from the moment the number you dial starts ringing so that even if no one answers or the line is engaged there is still a charge, while this happens at the weekend 1p rate this doesn't matter but at other times if you are trying repeatedly to connect it could be a bother.

It looks like 1899 is your best bet then (as you're not on a cable landline).

BT charges for everything except FEEE calls.

One reason they stopped itemising bills was because customers got so upset about all those 4.4p charges.

I still have not worked out what the 'other charges' are on my statements because I do not make any 'other' calls. I suspect that I am being charged for that funny sound I sometimes get when I phone a mobile and do not get connected.

On another forum several people are reporting difficulties getting connected.

wrote on Sep 28^th, 2004 at 6:58pm:

On another forum several people are reporting difficulties getting connected.

I was one - but that was yesterday.

Certainly 18866 is working fine again today.

:(A real problem with 18866 today - dropped connections, dreadful sound quality and automated messages - some in bad English whilst others were in German (I think!). Is this because all calls are routing outside the UK? Whilst a 1p connection charge is great, it really musn't be at the expenses of a reasonable quality of service. Are 18866 victims of their own success - I think we should be told! Regards SH.

Bonjour!

Thank you for all of your replies..........i have tried 18866 on a number of occassions recently and have been having calls dropped, poor quality etc... I think i'll stick with Toucan Telecom until things improve with 18866. I know that £9.99 for my usage of unlimited calls is more than i would pay on 18866/1899, but at least i have NEVER had a problem with them. Saving a few pence here and there is fine but being unable to dial out is VERY frustrating and far outweighs any saving. Plat du jour !!!!!!!

Del Boy.

for calls to France try ratebusters which is 1p all the time

How do you contact ratebusters. I tried on google but could not find either a website or a 'phone number. Is it a prepay service

wrote on Jan 4^th, 2005 at 4:38pm:

for calls to France try ratebusters which is 1p all the time

As do:
1899 1p/min
Budgetcom 1p/min (08448612612)
Telesavers 1p/min (08448615615)  
CheapestCalls 1p/min (08448611212)


wrote on Jan 9^th, 2005 at 8:49pm:

How do you contact ratebusters. I tried on google but could not find either a website or a 'phone number. Is it a prepay service

Their website? HERE.

No, they're not a pre-pay service.  They're one of the many firms (some are above) offering dial-through 0844 type numbers for international access - so the call charge appears on your normal phone bill at the reduced rate.

Thank you for the swift reply