Tag: call

SMARTY enables WiFi Calling

The Three SIM-only simple-plan network, SMARTY, has now switched on WiFi calling. We tested the network just over a month ago and there’s plenty of deals on right now – such as £12 per month for a massive 50GB of data with unlimited calls and texts. A help …

Call internationally from just £5 per month with Three

Last year I was in Malta. Whilst in the sunshine I called home, safe in the knowledge that I was in an EU country and I was calling another EU country. The cost was included in my plan and there were no big bill shocks. However, when you …

Three adds a supercharger to Pay As You Go

For £20 Three are today launching a new Pay as you Go Unlimited Data pack. You can chat, text and browse as much as you want for just £20 per month. It’s part of the Three Supercharged New Pay As You Go offer and this Unlimited Data Pack …

Start a call on your phone – direct from your PC

Been browsing on Chrome recently? If you were trying to find a number or call a business, you probably did the same as me this morning. At the weekend, and with the aid of alcohol, my filling fell out. So, I had to call the dentist this morning. …

The digital anatomy of a phone number

Remember when things were analogue? A crackling radio? Getting interference on your TV? Reading newspapers that were printed… on paper? Now it seems that nearly every aspect of our lives are digitized and digital. Phone numbers are no exception to this, benefiting from the digital revolution and modernizing …

Why Businesses should use 800 or 0800 numbers

Giving out a local or mobile number is sometimes a good idea. It gives you a personal touch and, if you’re only going to be working in the local area, your customers and potential customers will place more trust in you because you’re a local businessman. However, if …

Alexa will now make calls for you

If you’ve got yourself an Amazon Echo and you’re a Vodafone customer, this is definitely for you. Customers can now make or receive hands-free calls through Amazon Echo with your existing mobile plan. All you need to do is link your mobile number to your Alexa account. This …

Getting calls from 0300 200 3842 today?

It really wasn’t that long ago that we posted an article about scammers and how easily they can trick you into parting with your money. Last time it was a London number masquerading as HMRC, and in June last year we captured the recording of the call in …

We’re in the EU but “Bill Shock” continues..

As Britain limps in disarray towards a badly-handled Brexit, we still have a few more months being part of the EU. It means that we can fly to France, Spain, Germany, Cyprus, Greece or Sweden and make calls, text or browse just like we were back in the …

Caller ID now free

Not too long ago, if you wanted the phone number of the caller to be displayed on your home phone, you’d have to pay some mad fee. It was, when you think about it, a little unfair. Mobile networks have been providing the caller’s number since, ever, but …

SMARTY goes roaming.

The simple SIM only network from Three (covered earlier here) has a straightforward offering. There’s three packages – either a 2GB one for £7.50 per month, a 4GB one for £10 or an 8GB for £15. All have unlimited calls and unlimited texts. You just need to find …

Another frightening scam call

Months ago I wrote a story after receiving a scam call on my mobile. The call came from a UK landline number and featured a computerised voice telling me that my home was under CCTV surveillance. It also stated that the Inland Revenue were starting proceedings against me. …

Ringtones! Lots and lots of ringtones!

Way back when this site first started, we had a monstrous downloads section where you could grab MP3 files to plonk onto your phone. In the early 2000’s (yes, we’ve been around a while), it was fairly unusual to have a phone which could get free ringtones. Most …

How to dodge those 0870 / 0844 charges and get straight through

If you need to get hold of a utility provider, government agency, airline, insurance company or any other large organisation, there’s always a few concerns. Firstly, finding the right number itself can be tricky. You might call their main line, but then when you get through, they might …

Three warn customers over call scam

Mobile phone scams are on the rise, and scammers are thinking of new ways to trick consumers out of their money. One of the latest is where customers get a missed call and then call back to a premium number at a cost… And an expensive one at …

Perhaps we shouldn’t use our mobile phones while we’re mobile

In an effort to stop people fiddling where their phones whilst driving, the people from the Western Cape Government have taken a slightly different approach. A recent advert appears to have lifted a number of CCTV images showing a phone-relate accidents. There’s people falling into ponds, walking into …

Excuse me, but my dog is calling

So. I’m not totally sure where to begin with this one. I’ll sum it up in one sentence if I can. It’s a camera that you stick fairly low down on your wall that will let you video call your dog. Yeah. Not only that, but if you …

Virgin Media goes 4G. Adds free WhatsApp and rollover data

If you’ve got Virgin cabled up to your house then it’s in your own interests to look at their mobile deals too. They have better deals for Virgin customers, but you can also take a look at their offerings if you’re not a customer. Better still, today they’ve …

Vodafone begin blocking spam calls at a network level

Every day at around 2PM I get a call from The Claims Guys on 01212774003. They’re continually chasing me about a PPI claim that I have no intention of following up on. They drive me insane. I’ve told them around six times that I’m not interested, I’ve told …

Skype on a Chromebook – Almost there

You may remember how I created a way to get the Android version of Skype working on a Chromebook. It’s 10 steps, but to be honest it should be a lot easier. Thankfully, since I wrote that, things have progressed somewhat. Firstly we Android apps coming to Chromebooks …

Blocking nuisance calls – CPR Call Blocker now in an app

Remember the CPR Call Blocker that we reviewed some months back? That gadget plugs into your home phone and, with the help of an in-build database and a one-button blocking system, you could get rid of nuisance callers. However, it’s not just your home phone that gets those …

EE deliver new international calling packs

What? Another article about EE? Twice in one day. I think they’re going to have to send me more chocolate. Today they’ve launched some new international call packs and add-ons. Both pay-monthly and SIM-only customers can get these and they’ll let you make calls abroad from the UK …

Vodafone Call+ in action

Following a quick demo from the team at Vodafone on their new Call+ features, I thought it would be useful to do a short write up before a full review in the coming weeks (should the loaner phone arrive soon). If you aren’t familiar with Call+, it’s a …

Create your own free conference calls

Conference calls. They fill me with dread if I’m honest. Usually you’ll end up accidentally talking over someone during the call, then they’ll stop talking just as you stop talking, then you’ll both apologise, then you’ll both start talking again. Then you’ll get someone going on about “blue …

Virgin Media SmartCall slashes £1.2 million off calls

In October last year Virgin launched Smartcall. The app, which you can download for iPhone or Android handsets let’s you use your home Virgin Phone talk plan on your smartphone. It’s effectively the home phone you can take anywhere and works on pretty much any WiFi hotspot you …

Get a free, real, disposable number in seconds

Imagine, if you will, that you’re a very attractive female. Now, before I lose you entirely, I want you to imagine the hassle you’re going to get from blokes. They’re going to try and chat you up endlessly and, if you’re too polite to tell them to “do …

This Call May Be Recorded

For training purposes or just to be generally nosey….. Here at Coolsmartphone we’ve been contacted by copluk. They wanted us to review their call recording app – “Free Call Recorder – ACR“. It is available for free from the Play Store, then you have the option to pay …

Virgin announce a new converged calling plan

Virgin Media has today announced that it is to introduce the UK’s first converged calling. A simple smartphone app allows calls to be made over WiFi no matter where you are. Calls can be made wherever there is a WiFi connection, even abroad. All you need is a …