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Cheapest way to call UK from HK

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  1. #11

    They won't care.

    The people in charge of reviewing corporate P&Ls see general office expense in line with last year, in line with budget and not care in the least beyond that.


  2. #12

    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gollygordon:
    They won't care.

    The people in charge of reviewing corporate P&Ls see general office expense in line with last year, in line with budget and not care in the least beyond that.
    You'd be surprised. When the shit hits the fan CFOs can become some of the most irrational people.

    Ours recently banned taking things from the stationary cupboard without filling out a form and submitting it to the office manager. Processing the form is more expensive than the cheap pens and knock-off Post-It notes being issued.
    muzzdang likes this.

  3. #13

    Haha. Sounds like bad times sir. How big is the company?

    I used to do this sort of thing for a living and neither me or the boss (generally CFO) ever paid any attention beyond 'that's ok' or 'that needs to come down by 25%' etc.

    I guess if someone was shamelessly spending hours calling their friends in Europe everyday, someone may have a word....


  4. #14

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
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    We've always used voipdiscount. Pay 10 euros then get free days to landlines, then that credit can be used to call numbers that charge.

    It was always cheaper than Skype, but haven't kept up with what Skype offers nowadays. Straightforward, easy to use. I see they even have a "wholesale" account if you need to use it a lot.

    https://www.voipdiscount.com/calling_rates/


  5. #15

    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    1,192

    Skype is excellent when one needs to phone landline or mobile numbers in another country. Download the Skype App on your mobile phone. Initially use PAYG, so just top up with say $10. Calls cost peanuts per minute and it works well. I would suggest though not to use wi-fi if the wi-fi service at your end is flakey. Switch the wi-fi off and just use your phone data connection. With Skype, no more irritation with the phone charges mounting up as you are in a queue waiting for the bank or airline rep to connect.


  6. #16

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    Aug 2007
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    Using company phone for unauthorised non work connected international phone calls = theft and if caught, prosecuted and found guilty will result in a criminal record. No company permits such calls. A risk worth taking? Digital records are there to be picked up any time in the future.

    ByeByeEngland likes this.

  7. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by walkup:
    Using company phone for unauthorised non work connected international phone calls = theft and if caught, prosecuted and found guilty will result in a criminal record. No company permits such calls. A risk worth taking? Digital records are there to be picked up any time in the future.
    Sir. Really. Calm down. No one is getting prosecuted for making a phone call or two from the work phone. If this is a genuine concern of yours I suggest you may have an awful employer. As you can see in this thread, international calls are extremely cheap these days and most large corporations also enjoy highly discounted rates. Unless you are taking the absolute piss, no one will notice and / or care.

    It's just a really trivial issue compared to other factors like false expense claims, absenteeism etc which are genuinely expensive and really are taken seriously.

  8. #18

    (Anyone defending the employers side of this issue, I hope you are also ok with workers dropping arms and walking out the second their contractual 9-6 is over. Most reasonable employers understand the relationship is one of give and take and if they expect to their employees to do more than the bare minimum they can also expect to give ever so slightly more than technically they need to. If you're doing unpaid overtime and freaking about about calling your friend from a work phone, you are being far too deferential and fearful. In most cases employers owe you more than they explicitly give).