Phone calls to China

[dstarsboy]

My SO and I have our first phone date! The 20th, its her birthday so we're gonna chat it up. GULP! I've been writing down Mandarin phrases I could possibly use, but this is assuming I know how to say them right... and assuming I understand her reply. I think this will be brief, maybe 15 minutes per call to start then eventually getting into the 6 hour marathons like you guys do and I think I'll take a suggestion someone gave me and just speak English very slowly and cut out the extra words.

 

Anyways, after saying all that, the package my cable company gives me for Asian calling is $7.95 per month (includes 60 minutes) and .12 cents per minute after those 60 are used up. Is this price good, bad or ugleh? If its not good, what kind of price do you get and how?

[Guest pushbrk]

My SO and I have our first phone date! The 20th, its her birthday so we're gonna chat it up. GULP! I've been writing down Mandarin phrases I could possibly use, but this is assuming I know how to say them right... and assuming I understand her reply. I think this will be brief, maybe 15 minutes per call to start then eventually getting into the 6 hour marathons like you guys do and I think I'll take a suggestion someone gave me and just speak English very slowly and cut out the extra words.

 

Anyways, after saying all that, the package my cable company gives me for Asian calling is $7.95 per month (includes 60 minutes) and .12 cents per minute after those 60 are used up. Is this price good, bad or ugleh? If its not good, what kind of price do you get and how?

188338[/snapback]

There are several similar services but I use Dynasky at http://www.dynasky.com

 

It's 2 cents a minute.

Edited February 6, 2006 by pushbrk (see edit history)

[warpedbored]

I would recomend you use a phone card for occasional chats where you can have a printable record such as onesuite.come or pincity.com. For long conversations if she doesn't have a computer get her one along with a webcam. Use a messenger service such as yahoo. It will save your sanity as well as allow you to see her face and hear her laugh. You can type while you speak which will allow her to use translation sofware so she can understand what you say.

[mercator]

Onesuite at 2.2c/min has been great. They also have great recordkeeping for VO purposes.

 

www.onesuite.com

 

That plan you mention is very expensive.

[ndjarrett]

Other people get better prices ...but I get 8.5 cents...no monthly fee...same great intra/inter state rates as all other plans.

 

Thinking about gong to Vonage internet phone though...much cheaper than doing Mediacomm cable phone. Juts gotta see how it affect my satelite price if they are not always connect to phone line.

[dstarsboy]

Thanks guys, you rock! You just saved me a bunch of money!

[BillV 8-16-2004]

My SO and I have our first phone date! The 20th, its her birthday so we're gonna chat it up. GULP! I've been writing down Mandarin phrases I could possibly use, but this is assuming I know how to say them right... and assuming I understand her reply. I think this will be brief, maybe 15 minutes per call to start then eventually getting into the 6 hour marathons like you guys do and I think I'll take a suggestion someone gave me and just speak English very slowly and cut out the extra words.

 

Anyways, after saying all that, the package my cable company gives me for Asian calling is $7.95 per month (includes 60 minutes) and .12 cents per minute after those 60 are used up. Is this price good, bad or ugleh? If its not good, what kind of price do you get and how?

188338[/snapback]

I utilize SBC Asian calling plan 50 Hours for $49.95 a month.

Edited February 6, 2006 by BillV 8-16-2004 (see edit history)

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Dynasky and OneSuite both offer some of the lowest per-minute call rates with the ability to retrieve and print your call history for later proof of relationship. Edited February 6, 2006 by ShaQuaNew (see edit history)

[Guest pushbrk]

Dynasky and OneSuite both offer some of the lowest per-minute call rates with the ability to retrieve and print your call history for later proof of relationship.

188397[/snapback]

The call logs will become very important later. I would add that some have found it good to have at least two options for calling, in case one has technical difficulties.

 

The most effective real time communication you will find (considering the language barrier) is a messenger like Yahoo that combines voice and webcam. I can't imagine building a meaningful relationship without it. Seeing each other's faces and reactions to things you type and say is priceless.

[philb]

Carl & Mike both have this down.

 

I signed up for onesuite.com and use it for regular short calls...so there is a log. I go through $5-7/month.

 

the workhorse is a personal computer tied into yahoo. Hook up the webcam; hit the call button and see; talk & type; and hear her voice. Skype.com is another service.

 

I talk to my SO every 12 hours with voice and webcam. I'm not sure how I'd keep going without all this. The $500 bucks I spent to get her a "state of the art" computer with translation sofware has paid off in spades. plus the entire "family" is on the computer constantly. I call it SanSung VS the "chinese army"...most days its a standoff!

 

Phil

[Guest pushbrk]

Carl & Mike both have this down.

 

I signed up for onesuite.com and use it for regular short calls...so there is a log.  I go through $5-7/month.

 

the workhorse is a personal computer tied into yahoo.  Hook up the webcam; hit the call button and see; talk & type; and hear her voice.  Skype.com is another service. 

 

I talk to my SO every 12 hours with voice and webcam.  I'm not sure how I'd keep going without all this.  The $500 bucks I spent to get her a "state of the art" computer with translation sofware has paid off in spades.  plus the entire "family" is on the computer constantly.  I call it SanSung VS the "chinese army"...most days its a standoff!

 

Phil

188470[/snapback]

Before my wife and I communicated on Yahoo, I was "interested". As soon as we saw and spoke to each other on yahoo messenger, I was "in love". Perhaps equally important is that her family became supportive of our relationship after her daughter and younger sister met me on the webcam and voice.

 

On the phone, we can exchange greatings and request "yahoo now". "Yahoo Shin Tsi". Feel free to correct my spelling. I do pinyin the way it sounds to me phonetically.

 

Usually we just have a scheduled time once a day to connect. Before she had her own computer it was three or four times a week. I call her every once in a while just to have a log. Yesterday the Yahoo voice wouldn't work so we were on the phone quite a while while using yahoo.

 

I'll add that I have programmed my cell phone to dial all the way through to hers with the touch of one button. With Dynasky, you put insert a "pause" and an extra "1" that dynasky wants to hear before hearing her number being dialed.

Edited February 6, 2006 by pushbrk (see edit history)

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

When I last left China I unrolled a large bundle of string between there and florida. I plan connecting my end to a tin can tonight after work.....

[philb]

Jesse:

 

You're yankin' my chain....er, I mean pulling my string.

 

I use smoke signals myself; seeing that I'm on the west coasta and she can see them....

 

Phil

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Jesse:

 

You're yankin' my chain....er, I mean pulling my string.

 

I use smoke signals myself; seeing that I'm on the west coasta and she can see them....

 

Phil

188495[/snapback]

[dstarsboy]

Yep, seems like I definitely have to get this girl a computer for the messenger/webcam thing.