Status:
I pay $20 a month for a Vonage land line. I get 500 minutes to Canada and the USA. I have a cell phone. I get 150 day time minutes and 1000 evenings and weekends minutes which I never use up. My cell provider charges me $0.30/minute for long distance calls made from my mobile. I visit other cities and need to make calls to my local calling area.
Problem:
I don't want to pay $0.30/minute for long distance, instead I want to use my Vonage minutes and my mobile local air time I've already paid for. I also want to tap into my Vonage minutes while I'm out of my local calling area.
Solution:
Using a combination of a computer with internet access, a Vonage access number and Vonage call forwarding I can tap into my Vonage minutes from any major city in Canada, USA, Mexico, France, Spain or the United Kingdom.
Step 1.
Determine the local Vonage access number for the city you are in. Use this website:
http://vonage.ca/features.php?feature=v_access
For example, the access number for Vancouver is 778-786-1245
Step 2.
Using the Vonage website, log into your account and setup call forwarding to the number you wish to call. For in-country call forwarding, enter area code and number. For International call forwarding, enter 011 and then the country code, area code and local number.
For example if you wanted to call the Legoland Hotel you would enter: 011 45 7951 1343
Be sure to save your settings and leave the website open. You will need to disable the call forwarding after you make your call.
Step 3.
Dial the Vonage access number and follow the prompts to dial your own number. Once the call is connected you will be ringing the number you call forwarded to.
For example:
In Vancouver dial 778-786-1245 from any phone
Press 1 to call a Vonage number
Now dial your own Vonage number 1 555 555 5555 # (be sure to add 1 to the front of you 10 digit number)
Press 1 to confirm
RING RING
Step 4.
Once you hang up be sure to disable call forwarding using the Vonage website (that you left open) to ensure no one else calls the Legoland Hotel on your coin.
Conclusion:
This is a neat feature provided by Vonage. I doubt they set it up to work like a calling card. There may also be a better way to do this but this way works and I have already started making long distance calls for much cheaper than $0.30/minute. If you have the $40 unlimited Vonage plan you can talk for as long as you want for free, given its a free to call the local Vonage access number from where you are. You can also check your Vonage voicemail using the Vonage access number.
Happy chatting for cheaper
