# Just arrived in Dubai, need help with international calling strategy



## uncommonfavor (May 3, 2009)

I just arrived in Dubai and I am looking for the most cost effective way to call home. I live in the USA. I am currently staying in an apartment hotel and the internet connection is very expensive. My question are, 

does skype work over here?, my husband has a skype account and it will be cheaper if we can talk on skype. If skype does not work, does microsoft messenger work?

I have been told i could purchase a prepaid sim card but i will need to purchase a phone, how much are calls to the USA per minute?. Which sim card is good?'

If i purchase iphone over here, can i take it back with me to the USA and will it work unlocked over there?


Is there a mobile internet service i can purchase to bypass the hotel internet service?

Thanks


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## smita (Feb 3, 2009)

Hi there,

I am in the same situation as you, with my husband being in the US. Skype does work out here in some areas. I've been using it a lot to talk to him back home. I hear its really expensive to call the UAE from the US. My husband was saying something like 22-23 cents a minute. So we've been using skype video to talk as much as possible. Microsoft messenger does work out here as well. another option that we are looking into is getting vonage and just placing the router here in Dubai. My husband is still doing the research, but I can keep you updated. 

Where in the US are you from?


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## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

I still haven't heard from anyone using Vonage to confirm it works in the UAE. If it does work, I would be very tempted to get it myself.

Skype will depend on your ISP. Du does allow Skype calls, pc to pc, Etisalat blocks Skype.

MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Trillian, ICQ all work.


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## JEB123 (Nov 28, 2008)

uncommonfavor said:


> I just arrived in Dubai and I am looking for the most cost effective way to call home. I live in the USA. I am currently staying in an apartment hotel and the internet connection is very expensive. My question are,
> 
> does skype work over here?, my husband has a skype account and it will be cheaper if we can talk on skype. If skype does not work, does microsoft messenger work?
> 
> ...



Hi we've had this same problem as we can't get Skype to work. We chat through egamil. You can video or voicechat. If you go onto Google Talk - Chat online and make free internet calls and then download" video or voice chat from gmail" and get the other person to do it and then it will work. It is always clear and as I say you have the video or just the voice option.


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## uncommonfavor (May 3, 2009)

smita said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I am in the same situation as you, with my husband being in the US. Skype does work out here in some areas. I've been using it a lot to talk to him back home. I hear its really expensive to call the UAE from the US. My husband was saying something like 22-23 cents a minute. So we've been using skype video to talk as much as possible. Microsoft messenger does work out here as well. another option that we are looking into is getting vonage and just placing the router here in Dubai. My husband is still doing the research, but I can keep you updated.
> 
> Where in the US are you from?



Thanks for you input. We live in Atlanta GA


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## uncommonfavor (May 3, 2009)

Thank you all for your pointers. I will look into all the suggestions that were recommended.


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## bo_diesel (Nov 25, 2007)

hi

you can get skype and any other Internet Voice communication mediums to work in the UAE by bypassing Etisalat (local network provider). To do so, you need to get a proxy . Depends how long you are staying around. You could subscribe to Witopia PPTP .. just follow their instructions and use their support email service to install it on your laptop.

Good luck


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## mcd1203 (Nov 25, 2008)

we have the same large phone bills when we have to call Canada. We use skype but it was downloaded to our laptop before coming over here. MSN messenger also works. Way cheaper. we usually send an email prior to set up a time due to the big time difference


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## JohnK (Jun 9, 2009)

We have used a global sim card from called Geosim 

We've used one for years and it has saved us an awful lot of money. receiving calls in the UAE is free and calling out is very cost effective.


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## judicious (Oct 22, 2008)

Try using Phonserve Internet Telephone....It's very cheap for calls to the UK....

Europe’s No 1 Internet Calling Card Provider

Sorry for the late reply!


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## expatfromusa (Jun 15, 2009)

According to some co-workers here, Vontage does work. I have been using another very similiar service called Broadvoice. Haven't had any problems and the good thing is that I have a US phone number over here for friends and family to call me.


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## AB_in_Dubai (Jun 13, 2009)

Yep, Skype and MSN work here. Skype has some issues sometimes. If i were u,invest in a good fast internet connection before bothering about cable tv!


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## uncommonfavor (May 3, 2009)

Thank you all for all your replies


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## blueskydiver (Aug 20, 2008)

We use oovoo to call back to the us.. You can download it for free..they offer different plans.. we pay $15.00 for 3000 minutes per month.. works well to call anywhere in the states.. includes video also


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