On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 2:35 PM, unsolicited <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:unsolicited@swiz.ca">unsolicited@swiz.ca</a>></span> wrote:<br><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
What about calling cards or that long distance service (1-10-1010- or something like that) for the Egypt calls only?<br></blockquote><div><br>We tried that for years, and still use prepaid calling cards. The issue is that you would need to call and find that you have none at home, or that the store ran out of the specific card. Also service is erratic often with these.<br>
<br>So having a reasonable rate for 011-20-xxxx is always good even if it is not the primary method. <br><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
A lady I know uses calling cards (purchased cheaply in Toronto, or something like that), for her calls home to Cyprus. Significantly cheaper, and not all calling cards are equal, at least price wise.<br></blockquote><div>
<br>For Egypt, the price is comparable. A $2.5 card gives you between 15 and 20 minutes when the going is good. On days where there is a rush (holiday for example), things are often busy and one can't get through.<br>
<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
If you found a mix, perhaps you can take advantage of most of the YAK features you find alluring?<br></blockquote><blockquote style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;" class="gmail_quote">
<div> </div></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Or, would a VOIP Egyptian local number work for you?<br>
<br>
If I've tracked the thread properly, for you:<br>
- save ~$10/month internet. No more Bell bill (~$44.00/month equivalent). </blockquote><div><br>My Bell bill is around $24-$25 a month, but with no calling features. So savings are much less.<br><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
~$650/year saved. (Except for Egypt.)<br>
- 10Mbps -> 5 Mbps<br>
- except for Egypt, approximately equivalent phone costs.<br>
- you'd have to buy a modem. ~$50-100?<br>
- no more filtering / traffic shaping. [Certain?]<br>
- no cap.<br>
- did I get it all?<br>
- heck, you could keep both providers / add redundancy, if that matters.<br></blockquote><div><br>The 2 things alluring (for me) about YAK were no bandwidth cap and free calling features. Now there are significant downsides and lots of hassle and uncertainty.<br>
<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
I talked to Paul the other night. An issue I have with Rogers is I can't talk to anyone SMTP (port 25). He was going to test his work's Rogers Business Service for me some day, via 'telnet <smtp server> 25' or something, for me.<br>
<br>
Don't know if I can receive anything on 25, but I doubt it. Anyone tested this on Rogers Internet (residential), for running one's own mail server?<br></blockquote><div><br>I run some stuff on the home server that emails me (e.g. various checks, monitoring, backup, ...etc.). I configured Postfix to tunnel that through my smtp box like so. Works well.<br>
<br>relayhost = [<a href="http://smtp.example.com">smtp.example.com</a>]:587<br><br><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<br>
Khalid Baheyeldin wrote, On 04/28/2010 1:05 PM:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div><div></div><div class="h5">
NECC becomes your long distance provider.<br>
<br>
You directly dial 011 Country Code City Code phone number.<br>
<br>
No hoops to jump through, and you get a toll free number to call and get<br>
similar rates and charge that to my monthly bill. So a pay phone anywhere<br>
gives you similar rates (I thin 0.03 more per minute or something like<br>
that).<br>
<br>
The rates they advertise on their site are higher than what I get. Call the<br>
toll free number and see what they can offer. I got a cold call from someone<br>
who speaks Arabic and switched to them (something I rarely do).<br>
<br>
Once caveat: there are no monthly fees if you pay your bill on time every<br>
time. If you are late one month, they charge a $5 service fee. Still<br>
acceptable with that even.<br>
<br>
It all depends on where you call. There is lots of competition for North<br>
America, and Europe and parts of Asia. But there is little competition for<br>
Egypt, hence the higher rate, and lack of choice.<br>
<br>
On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 12:55 PM, Colin Mackay <<a href="mailto:zixiekat@gmail.com" target="_blank">zixiekat@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
How does the Long Distance system work with NECC? Does it intercept<br>
all LD calls, or do you have to call them, and then dial out?<br>
<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
The bad news is that long distance has to stay with Yak. I currently use<br>
NECC Telecom, which has low rates, and no monthly fees, specially when I<br>
call the USA and Egypt a lot.<br>
<br>
NECC has $0.14 per minute for Egypt [special rate] vs. $0.29 with Yak,<br>
</blockquote>
and<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
$2.85 with Bell! The rate to USA/Canada is $0.03 to $0.05 [comparable to<br>
</blockquote>
Yak which has $0.035 for both].<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br></div></div>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Khalid M. Baheyeldin<br><a href="http://2bits.com">2bits.com</a>, Inc.<br><a href="http://2bits.com">http://2bits.com</a><br>Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.<br>
Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. -- Edsger W.Dijkstra<br>Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. -- Leonardo da Vinci<br>