Globe has a new service called G-Webcall that provides Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services for calls to Globe or TM cellphones worldwide for P7.50 per minute.
It’s not a bad deal if you compare it to other services like Skype (around P13 per minute to call the Philippines). Of course, this doesn’t beat free VOIP calls from PC to PC.
Here’s the lowdown:
- Limitations: Need a Globe post-paid account to start using service. Users can place calls only to Globe/TM phones.
- Advantages: Ease of payment – through the regular Globe post-paid cellphone bill
- Ideal for: Jetsetters with a computer abroad, calling the Philippines. With some creativity, it could work for OFWs calling home too.
31 comments
Yup! Nabasa ko na yan sa website ng Globe. But “unfortunately”, SMART subscriber ako.
Gusto ko nga sanang subukan yung Voice Roaming ng SMART because according to them puede na raw Saudi yun pero nung sinubukan ko, hindi naman gumagana. Mahigit tatlong buwan ko na atang pina-follow up sa kanila pero wala pa rin nangyayari kaya nagsawa na rin ako. Kung magkakaroon sana ng GLOBE rito, hindi ako magdadalawang-isip magpalit! At sana later on maging available yun sa mga Prepaid subscriber ng GLOBE.
Although I can’t use the said service from here. At least, that’s good news to my fellow OFWs out there! I will just continue using the traditional phone, my cellphone or net2phone VOIP.
Thanks for the info anyway.
same with Innove Globelines. they also have VOIP softphone
arthursoffice,
On the contrary, my article on eOFW describes how you CAN use the G-Webcall service while you’re in Saudi.
1.) Ask your wife/parent/sibling/relative who has a globe post-paid account to register on G-Webcall.
2.) Ask for the G-Webcall account details. Use that account to call your relatives in the Philippines.
3.) G-Webcall charges goes to your relative’s post-paid bill.
4.) Settle the bill when you remit money to your wife/parents .
You do remit, don’t you?
Try it, tapos balitaan mo kami, okay?
ka edong
sir, tanong ko lang kung pwede ito sa pre-paid globe subscribers? thanks…
ka edong,
Binisita ko yung eOFW and I find it informative at magaganda ang mga idea.
Regarding G-Webcall, maganda yung suggestion mo at walang iniwan sa paggawa ko ng e-mail add sa iba kong mga kaibigan sa Pinas so they can chat with me instantly.
I’m planning to try first the “100call” (www.100call.com). Iba naman ang sistema nila at mas mura rin.
“around P13 per minute to call the Philippines” Isn’t it around $0.13 to call the Philippines?
VoIP is still a toy, quality wise I would rather stick to traditional phone (for now) but If it is PC-to-PC and its free then it should be OK but not PC-to-Phone or worst VoIP Cell-to -VoIP Cell. Rigth now a lot of companies are switching to VoIP I just hope that this things speeds up in the near future or maybe they could increase the comm. pipe.
Elmer, most IDD calls whether to/from landlines or cellphones are routed over VoIP anyway.
You can “send” voice messages similar to push to talk (but slower) for Php1.00 via MMS and with a little kiddie script your OFW relatives will receive your “call” for flat rate via GPRS that’s usually bundled with their call plans and this works vice-versa.
Not really a VOIP solution but hey, its as free as beer 🙂
So if its that good why not make a service out of it? i do have the alpha version but it will be a tough battle to have it approved by telcos since on business side i will have to earn from the GPRS revenue share. I still have lots of things to do where i could earn more than do that >_
At US$0.13/minute, it is competitive but how is the quality?
I’d rather use other means to call from overseas — in my case, I can do it for free, landline or mobile. 🙂
@arthursoffice, glad you like the tips on eOFW.
@obet, yes, Pesos 13 per minute. Skype PC-phone rates to Phils are $0.198 to $0.249 per minute depending on landline or mobile… around Php10-Php13
guys if you’re in the US and looking for unlimited calls to philippines for US22.89/month let me know.
P
I tried this using my cable Internet which has no local peering with Globe (Belltel iCable) – so it’s like calling from abroad. There’s some background noise, on both sides.
Interesting: it’s using IAX, the protocol of the open source Asterisk soft PBX. I wonder what backend Globe is using here.
there’s also an internet cafe in Quezon City where you can make calls to US/Canada for only 4 pesos a minute. This is phone to phone.
phone as in the phone network (PSTN)? or maybe a handset plugged into a PC or a LAN.
it’s a phone that includes a US number which means anyone can make or receive calls to/from US/Canada. Of course, there’s always a choice of installing a softphone.
the phone is plugged into the phone adapter that’s plugged into the router with broadband connection; and so the phone rings even if the computer is off.
p
So there’s an adapter, and it passes through the Internet. So it’s not “phone to phone” – that means it passes through the PSTN and you can call from any landline.
yes and of course as you know it’s called voip. I just follow what some say: pc to phone, phone-to-pc, pc-to-pc…you know what I mean. In any case, anyone that has a DID number (e.g. traditional not virtual number) can make/receive calls to/from the anywhere in the world.
I live in New Jersey and I make calls to the Philippines everyday from my landline or cellphone number. The cost of calls I make/receive is a low monthly fixed price. The reason is that the phone number I call in the Philippines is local here in the US.
p
i read it somewhere, i think philstar run an article that pldt filed a complaint to the NTC against globe because of this product? globe, in turn, discontinue the service until an interconnection agreement is settled between the two telcos…
How it will work?
To pinoyako: im not in the US but my fiancee is…HOW?..let me know..ty
pinoyako » August 16th, 2006 05:36
guys if you’re in the US and looking for unlimited calls to philippines for US22.89/month let me know.
ay.. naku.. globe user ako..pero nong nag paload walet ako ng 1000 eh pumasok sa ibang mobile number.. eh nung tumawag ako sa hot line..!
tang inah! sabi nila di raw pweding maretrieve. eh bakit ung SMART pwedi.. eh di dapat pwedi rin sa globe..
dapat sana un ung naisip nila..
sana nga..!
sana nga..!
mahanapan nila ng solusyon…
>:)
I have something better than all this where you can call any network or any Phone Service Provider in the philippines at the lowest rates without monthly bills. It’s VOIP enabled that you can use through your mobile phone without changing your original Phone Service Provider so it’s better than SKYPE. One of the great advantages that we have vs Skype is that you can still receive calls even if you are offline. Meaning, The call will be diverted to your landline or mobile number when you go offline. Not just calls to the Philippines but to most countries where Filipinos are right now. Our company is swiss-owned so expect the best service at the lowest rates. No need for call card purchases, no need for switching phone carriers and no need to wait. It’s more convenient than electronic load because you don’t have to go to the store to buy credits. You can purchase them on your mobile phone conveniently anytime and anywhere and still get the lowest rates for calls to the Philippines or anywhere in the world. If you’re interested, get in touch with me through mikevillegas01@hotmail.com or mikevillegas01@yahoo.com so I can call you up either through your landline or mobile phone or add me to your Instant Messenger.
anyone knows how to call philippine landlines for free via pc or adaptors like handytone 286?
how about magicjack? I bought two, one for me, and one for my relatives back in PI. It cost me less than 60USD for 5 years. Its like vonage but alot cheaper. You can also buy minutes if you want to call them by their local/mobile phones which is competitive rate with others. Check there website. magickjack.com
7.50 php per minutes not bad but im using voip which is 71 php per month but limited to canada and us.
Thanks for writting very informative VoIP article. Please let me elaborate more on VoIP. Voice over Internet Protocol has been around since many years. But due to lack of sufficient and affordable bandwidth it was not possible to carry carrier grade voice over Internet Protocol. But since the arrival of low cost internet bandwidth and new speech codecs such as G.729, G.723 which utilizes very low payload to carry carrier class voice it has recently been possible to leverage the true benefits of VoIP. G.723 codec utilizes only 6 Kbps (Kilo Bytes/sec) which is capable of maintaining a constant stream of data between peers and deliver carrier grade voice quality. Lets put this way if you have 8 Mbps internet connection, by using G.723 codec you can run upto 100 telephone lines with crystal clear and carrier grade voice quality. I am also a user of VoIP and have setup a small PBX at home. Since I have discovered VoIP I have never used traditional PSTN service.
Dear readers, if you have not yet tried VoIP I suggest that you try VoIP technology and I bet you will never want to use the traditional PSTN phone service ever again. VoIP has far more superior features to offer which traditional PSTN sadly cannot offer.
Also It has recently been possile to carry Video alongwith VoIP by using low payload video codecs. I cannot resist to tell you that by using T.38 passthrough and disabling VAD VoIP can carry FAX transmission, but beaware FAX T.38 passthrough will only work when using wide band protocols such as G.711, a-Law and u-Law.
By using ATA (Analog Telephone Adapter) which converts VoIP signals into traditional PSTN you can also using Dial-up modems to connect to various dialup services. I wont go in to the details what VoIP can offer, to cut my story short VoIP is a must to have product for every business and individual.
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