[weswebb]

Anyone know the best phonecard to call the mainland?

[PDLM]

Any particular reason why you want a phonecard not a regular IDD service? It seems that you are a long term (2 year +) resident here so presumably you have a credit card / bank account etc. IDD services tend to be around 28 cents/min to China. You aren't going to do much better than that with a phonecard, and the quality is more consistent with postpaid IDD.

[Boris]

Smile Chat Chat phonecard.
I get them from 7-11 ( the normally have a picture card to identify the many they sell and this in the RED one ).

Originally got them from that Philippine phone shop in De Voeux Road outside World Wide House and they have probably the biggest cheapest selections for every need. The rate HKD0.15c per min and is suited for calling both mobile and NON mobile numbers at the same rate - in all China areas from HK. Saying that, there are some specialist phone cards that concentrate on Guangdong only at around 8c

Outside China numbers to UK and US its the same rate but only to NON mobile numbers. Call a mobile and the minute usage tumbles of a cliff.

[PDLM]

Make sure you check the rounding and surcharging policies on phonecards when you buy them. Many will round to the next minute, then the next dollar and then put a per call surcharge on as well. Not such a big issue if you make long calls, but if your calls tend to be short then you may not get anything like the number of minutes you would expect from the headline rate.

Originally Posted by Boris

Outside China numbers to UK and US its the same rate but only to NON mobile numbers. Call a mobile and the minute usage tumbles of a cliff.

True for the UK (and Australia, and most countries really), but not for the US - all calls to US numbers must be at the same rate since there is absolutely no way for the phonecard or IDD operator to tell if a US number is mobile or fixed.

[Boris]

Maybe I made a mistake on the US, it was a memory recall.

Would agree the comment about reading the small print. Today I looked at a number of adverts headlining rates as low as 1c !
When you looked at the country rates though I saw rates to UK landlines at HKD2.3 - so buyer beware.

[dannyw]

https://online.hgc.com.hk/0088/index_en.html

$48 dollars a month and unlimited calling to china. just uses up your minutes from your mobile phone tariff. its what i use, service to china is good, just like a landline. However if u call uk mobiles then there is a noticeable audio delay in your conversation.