Looking for international telecom provider/app

[Serik]

Hi, newcomer here. I just recently moved to Indonesia about a month ago. I am from Mongolia and it's my first time moving to somewhere else. I have elderly parents left back in my home country and I'd like to talk with them from time to time. They are not really tech savvy and don't have smarphones or even internet, just old and rusty Nokias. Yeah, and landline.

So my question is: how do I call mobile or landline to Mongolia from Indonesia? I mean cheap ways. I can definetely call from my indosat sim card but it is going to be expensive.

I tried Rebtel app, but it did me dirty, I had bad connection and problems and they did not refund my money.

I also saw some other app, Yola or Yolla or something like that, they seem better and have cheaper prices. I haven't tried it yet. Is it an okay one?

 

[Will_M]

I think your easiest option would be to buy them a very simple smart phone to use in Mongolia. You’ll have to teach them to use it but in terms of call quality it is your best option I imagine.

 

[Nimbus]

My parents are not tech savvy at all, yet they managed to learn whatsapp. Your best bet is to give them a very simple smartphone, then load it with nothing except the essentials, whatsapp, and perhaps skype.

 

[jstar]

Yolla is not bad. Of course you have to buy credit. The same for Skype if you want to call landlines.

I checked Mongolia and saw that Yolla is almost ten (10!) times cheaper than Skype, 2.5 dollar-cent per minute versus 22.2 dollar-cent to call to a Mongolian landline.

I had great and not so good results with both, they're both easy to use. I needed such a system to make ultra long calls with companies and governmental organizations in Western Europe. I guess you'd better try for yourself first.

 

[Serik]

I have already tried many times...they are much anti-technology. I actually had a really hard time teaching them to use usual cellphones without fancy stuff. All they can do is call their friends / relatives and answer the calls. Anyting extra, even setting up the alarm clock is beyond their capabilites unfortunately...

Meanwhile, I have decided to give this yolla app a try and go offensive this time before I pay: I contacted the support and demanded they give me a test amount so I could try it. Don't want to get myself burnt this time. They gave me $1, seems legit so far, we'll see how it goes...

 

[gemima]

I have already tried many times...they are much anti-technology. I actually had a really hard time teaching them to use usual cellphones without fancy stuff. All they can do is call their friends / relatives and answer the calls. Anyting extra, even setting up the alarm clock is beyond their capabilites unfortunately...

Meanwhile, I have decided to give this yolla app a try and go offensive this time before I pay: I contacted the support and demanded they give me a test amount so I could try it. Don't want to get myself burnt this time. They gave me $1, seems legit so far, we'll see how it goes...

My mum is the same, I gave her a simple smart phone and she just couldn't adapt to it. I just use skype to call her landline (thankfully the landline calls are cheap to Ireland). I hope Yola works for you. I had used Rebtel in the past and found it okay but that was a few years ago.

 

[Serik]

My mum is the same, I gave her a simple smart phone and she just couldn't adapt to it. I just use skype to call her landline (thankfully the landline calls are cheap to Ireland). I hope Yola works for you. I had used Rebtel in the past and found it okay but that was a few years ago.

I have also tried. I even wrote down instructions on a piece of paper for them...which button to press, what app to use...all for nothing, it didn't work out. They are just left behind the new technologies and there's nothing that can be done about that.

I personally don't like skype because I used to receive a lot of spam there, suspicious links from unknown accounts, friends' accounts getting hacked and asking me to send them money, too much of that. That's why I gave up on skype about 2 years ago.

Meantime, Yolla seems okay, I have already used the $1 test balance they gave me and recharged with $8 myself. The quality is fine. Obviously not the perfect option as free calls with whatsapp would've been better, but considering my parents are out of whatsapp's reach, it seems like a fair deal.

 

[jstar]

Good to hear.