RebTel.com ROCKS - low cost & free international mobile calls
RebTel is coming! It helps you make very cheap calls from your mobile, to your friends abroad. I think this could be absolutely massive.
It works by assigning you — and your friend — a local phone number each (e.g. 0207 number here in London. You put that local number in your phone book.
So, for example, my local phone number for Keith in Canada would be 0207 100 2000. Right?
If I dial that number from my mobile, I’m charged a few pence a minute — or even better, the call uses up my service plan minute allowance.
Now if Keith in Canada wants to call me, he dials +1 204 250 2500 (for example — I’m making these numbers up).
So we’ve both got local numbers for each other, right?
I want to call Keith: I phone 0207 100 2000. Keith gets a phone call on his mobile from identifier +1 204 250 2500. In his phone book, he’ll have put ‘EwanInternational’ or something like that, for this number.
Keith answers. I ask Keith to hang-up and dial back. Why? Because 30 seconds after I initiate the call, RebTel has to start billing me (small rates – e.g. 2cents a min from UK to Canada) because they’re having to pay to connect the call to Keith.
BUT. Here’s the science bit.
Within 30 seconds, Keith hangs up. I stay on the line. Keith then calls back the EwanInternational local access number assigned to me — the number that just called him…
… and we’re immediately connected.
Both of us are paying local call charges only and because RebTel isn’t paying any outgoing charges — and can route our call via VOIP, the call is free. Period.
Phenomenal.
This will change the lives of quite a few people I know. I’ve just sent a text to my friend who’s in a long term relationship with a gorgeous girl in NY. Their phone bills are ridiculous. They’ve been using Skype to talk to each other — but it only works when she’s in the office (as her home computer’s broken). RebTel will change their world. It really will.
Setup is extremely simple. Give it a go: http://www.rebtel.com
