try SKype... 

I guess, you have never heard of Skype, for example?

Skype x3.  It's free if you both use it.  Otherwise, when calling a regular telephone in Norway, it's 2.2 cents (EUR) per minute with no subscription.  Or you can subscribe to a monthly plan.

Or, if you really insist, I use VoIPcheap for some five years already and have only positive words for them. Although, you should really try Microsoft Skype :)

I also use Voipcheap and have no complaints.  If sometimes the quality is not good I use the phone to phone option which is minimal cost as it involves a connection fee only.  Rare when I use this option.

For calls to mobiles or unusual destinations ( by that I mean not popular) you need to compare rates with skype and others

For SMS Voi-pcheap about the same as Swisscom but the advantage is that you can type your message on the computer rather than on a mobile phone.

Used to use skype but only use now for skype to skpe calls which is OK provided other party has computer or device switched on.

Why test her commitment and have her call you?

Guys, the cheapest VOIP presently on the market is NONOH (www.nonoh.net).

- Calls to landline in Norway and most European countries are free
- All calls to USA, Canada and China (landline & mobile) are free
- Phone2Phone is very good and clear
- Calls to other non popular countries are cheaper than other VOIP providers. Compare rates and switch to NONOH. Rates are charged in Eurocents per minute and calls are rounded up to next minute. This means you should try to use whole minute, or you will be billed for one minute for a call duration of 5 seconds. All telephone providers do the same!
- Because everyone want to call free, you are limited to a 300 minutes per week talks on the free calls. When this is exceeded, you will be billed. For normal/private calls, 300 minutes a week is more than enough. That is over 1200 minutes free calls to your loved ones in a month

DISCLAIMER::
I am only patronizing NONOH as a user for more than 5 years. I am not affiliated to NONOH in any way!

Regards
Bola

you could each invest in one of these, then you can call each other for free unlimited at zero additional cost

http://gigaset.com/hq/en/product/GIGASETC470IP.html

i use this to keep in touch with family back home who also have a set. i can also use it with voip providers like sipgate etc for more general usage, it also plugs into my analogue phone line so i can also use it for incoming / outgoing calls over my usual Swisscom line should I want to - which is very rare

I have the orange unltd phone contract. 100chf/ month with iPhone, includes unltd mins and texts with 1gb Internet to the whole of Switzerland, Europe, UK, USA and Canada, as long as you are calling from Switzerland. It is utterly awesome and I do about 40 hours/month of outbound international calling, plus around 10 hours of swiss to swiss calling for 100chf/month.

I also use Skype a lot, but just being able to pick up the phone without caring is great.

Ps if you sign up with me because I am an existing customer, I think we both benefit from some credit on our orange accounts. Let me know and I can send you the form.

Thanks for the tip about NONOH Bola. I tried and like it.

But I get disconnected after 2 minutes 42 seconds each time, do you guys face the same issue ?

Thanks,

Vincent

I also use Nonoh.net for ages. Sometimes I use a call back service to my home phone. I started to had problems with Nonon after I've moved to Lion OSX and they have issued the new version of software. I never had a problem on Win or on my Iphone (downloaded application). Actually on my Iphone it works like charm. 

so, Vincent, if you use Mac, and you have fixed telephone line, just use call back service available on the website once you login to your account or download another voip converted software for Mac (sorry don't remember the name, you will have to do a google search or contact them). 

Karl, another option is call through Skype not the Phone. You can both install it on computers, I assume your girlfriend has a computer and you too? It's not a dark ages. You would need a mic and headphones and if you want to see each other, a videocam too. 

Vincent,

If you have bought credits, you should not be disconnected. I do talk 30 minutes straight without any issues.

Network speed can of course play a role in the clearity of your conversation. Overall, this is a good service. I always load €100 into my account and use it for over 6 months.

@Ganna G:

Call back is the best. Once the two phones are connected, the conversation is similar to using your normal phone in terms of clearity. As a hint, if you have a landline, always try to use it for Phone2Phone (call back) because the landline connection fee is free. You can also redirect your office landline number to your mobile number. In this case, Phone2Phone on your office line will be free, instead of discussing your private matters through the office phone, it is redirected to your private mobile number. You can walk away from colleagues while you enjoy your conversation with your loved one... ;)

Regards, Bola

All i know is Skype has more users worldwide, and you have a better chance of free VOIP calls to friends. Further the costs for calls to fixed/lane lines are still very cheap, like 2cents per minutes. And also video calls/webcam is free, unless to a mobile phone, but still pretty cheep, but you need ot check the costs for this. Skype also offers you to subcribe to a online swiss number, and you then dont need a Swisscom number or other service, its really good.

Hi Bola and all,

I use phone to phone but have not purchased any credit so far (since the calls I want to place are free)

Does this means I am limited in time to a 2 minutes and 42 seconds each time, even for free call, because I have not purchased any credit ?

Anyboday else facing these calls drops ?

In other words, is this call drop a policy/way for NONOH to push free user to be customers ?

Thanks !

Kind regards, appreciate your answers :-)

Vincent

Guys this is getting ridiculous.

Skype is free and as others have said you can add a European package for about €4/month unlimited calling if you want. Get yourself a Skype phone which plugs into your wireless router and its just the same as having a normal phone.

Or get yourself the orange contract. Don't waste time with anything else.

job done :-)

Edit: Skype to Skype is unlimited free, just in case anyone didn't understand.

One last thing: if you both have an iPhone you can do FaceTime. Another benefit of the orange contract. 

Nick,

The person who started this thread was asking for cheap VOIP provider. That literally translate to "seeking the cheapest provider". Skype is not, and we all know that. Skype has its own merits and advantages, and I believe Karl Dale knows about that. We all use Skype - including myself - in addition to using WhatsApp, Viber, KakaoTalk, Tango et al. All these applications have their specific use. VOIP is however different. It is the cheap alternative to conventional telephony.

We should not mix these things up.

I for one, like many others, I have a substriction with Sunrise that has unlimited calls/sms/internet. The limitation is that, those are only within Switzerland, while I have family members and friends scattered all over the world and I must be in touch with them. Choosing country package doesn't help, the more countries you add into your package, the more your fees goes up.

Therefore, we get such a subscription that will allow us to be hooked onto the internet 24/7 with unlimited bandwidth, so that we are able to capitalize on the benefits of VOIP.

As for Skype and the others (mentioned or not mentioned), the person you want to contact must also be on the same system and must be online. You also mentioned investing in the same phone (ie. iPhone). Why do you think his girlfriend would prefer to carry an iPhone where there are other cute and nicer gadgets on the market? I am a lover of Android, and iPhone is just not one... ;)

VOIP instead does the job exactly like you would with your normal telephone but at an affordable price, if not completely free. All you need to have is an internet. Meanwhile this is a luxury that no one can leave without anymore, so why not just add one more feature into that,

You are already paying for your internet, why not simply make free or cheap calls?

@Vincent:

Without a credit on your profile, you are still "testing" the system. You need to add some little credit - even €5. You will not be billed for your free calls. Having a credit means you are comitted to using Nonoh. Until then, you are only experimenting.

Regards, Bola

Vincent,

Yes, it is a policy for any serious minded business to allow a prospective customer to try their system. Try means to test. Testing means certifying or validating. These are technical words that are embedded in our lives. Once you have tried a product, you must decide to continue using it or trash it.

Imagine you searching for a free software on the internet. You surely will find thousands. But, I can guarantee you that less than 10% of what you  find will be truely free. The features will be restricted/limited, savng is impossible, or you can not do this or do that.

This is called business, period!

I need some sleep now, and wake up fresh for the new week, far away in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Regards, Bola

Thanks Bola.

I will buy a credit and make more testing afterthat.

Have a great week guys,

Vincent