Having a successful LDR

When she was here at Christmas she said I was much quiter than on Skype. My reply was to go into the bedroom and call her on the laptop

I think it's been that we talk a lot every day. I have no kids or anything like that once I get home from work so we talk from then until we go to sleep talking on skype. I get really lonely when I don't have him to talk to. But being open with one another is a big thing because sometimes typed words can be interpereted wrong.

Tell me about it...

I know exactly what you mean....luckily DN and I are so much on the same wave length it's very rare we don't understand what one another is trying to say....one of the hardest things  for me is I miss is his voice. We do talk occasionally on the phone, but my phone package only has so many international free minutes so we don't get to talk no where near as much as we'd like - thank goodness for MSN and webcams!

I feel lucky because we talk on the phone a lot.  Just hearing his voice makes me feel closer to him. 

I feel lucky because we talk on the phone a lot.  Just hearing his voice makes me feel closer to him. 

You are lucky....do you use any particular service/package? or do you just deal with the phone bill when it comes in?......I wouldn't trust myself on the latter, the bill would be huge!

You are lucky....do you use any particular service/package? or do you just deal with the phone bill when it comes in?......I wouldn't trust myself on the latter, the bill would be huge!

I found out the hard way that you need to have an international plan to get a much lower rate.  Luckily, the phone company rep believed my stupidity when she checked my past phone records and took off almost $500 in charges.  Now I have broadband digital voice through Comcast and it's 8 cents a minute but he pays about 2 pence a minute through his broadband service.  Most of our conversations end up being at least two hours so it can add up.  Good thing he insists on calling me more, lol. 

DF has free international calling through his broadband to the US.  He's on Orange.  Maybe you could look into that for phone options?

I'll add to the chorus:

Have a scheduled time to talk to your SO and stick to it. If you can't, let your SO know and reschedule. SKYPE. (it's a godsend!) WEBCAMS.

Communication, communication, communication!!

Almariel you are so right, communication, communication and a bit more communication just to be on the safe side! 

I'm currently with Virgin Broadband and I get 200 mins free talk time a month, but it isn't just to international calls....so when ever I use the phone it's using up my free time. Which don't get me wrong I like but, I would prefer the 200 free mins just for international calls!  sadly I don't get that choice. I'll have to have a look round and see if I can find a better package!!

And well done kdvirgo for getting the phone company to cut your bill by $500!!! That's amazing, I can just imagine my phone company if I asked the same......they'd probably laugh at me uncontrollably, catch their breath and start again - think I may be best avoiding a huge bill!!!   

I use Vonage so it is free international calling for me.  I also have a "virtual" UK number so that it doesn't cost DF anything to call me from his mobile.  Vonage is also available in the UK.  Great deal!  But, you have to have broadband to use it.

www.vonage.co.uk  At the moment they are running a special for new residental customers.  7.99 GBP a month for unlimited calling to the UK, USA, and Europe.  Go to the International Calling section, click on the Special Offers box on the right of that page.  The plan you are looking for is the Vonage World Extended Plan. 

I have had Vonage for a year and am very happy with the service.

Good luck!

Out of curiosity, have you found any differences between Vonage and Skype?

Can I add to the chorus of Communicate Communicate Communicate? :-)

Seriously, find the cheap phone rates, have webcams, write letters and silly emails, get Skype.  Alex and I talked every day when we were apart, he'd call me to say good morning and we'd chat by skype for a few hours before he went to bed.  Best parts of my days. 

Out of curiosity, have you found any differences between Vonage and Skype?

Yes, definitely.  Skype often disconnected us, was choppy, and unreliable.  Vonage works just like an actual phone so it is crystal clear and you don't have to be tied to the computer.  We both prefer Vonage in spades.  Of course, you do pay for Vonage, but, it isn't much at all.  On the USA end, I pay about $30 a month and I get unlimited calling minutes to the whole of the USA, UK, France, Spain, and Germany.  Not bad...

Well, I'm still a student, so $30/month is still kind of a lot right now, but it might be something to look into once I have an elusive "real job". The choppiness is definitely annoying (I usually end up telling A "Your face is all squares" and then he has to disconnect and sign in again to fix it) but we haven't really had issues with clarity. We'd probably be tied to the comp anyway because of the webcams, though. Man, I can't emphasize webcams enough. There was a period of time when A was living at home on the IOM (where broadband is mad expensive) and we didn't have it, and it SUCKED.