alternatives to Skype for making cheap international calls?

I was just wondering if anyone uses anything besides Skype to make cheap international calls? My Skype for Android app hasn't worked for me since they updated it a few months ago, everytime I try to call my family in the States, I can't hear half of what they're saying, and then it keeps dropping the call. It would be too expensive to just call on the mobile without going through Skype, or to use the landline, so I was wondering what else was out there, and how much it costs per minute to use?

I was just wondering if anyone uses anything besides Skype to make cheap international calls? My Skype for Android app hasn't worked for me since they updated it a few months ago, everytime I try to call my family in the States, I can't hear half of what they're saying, and then it keeps dropping the call. It would be too expensive to just call on the mobile without going through Skype, or to use the landline, so I was wondering what else was out there, and how much it costs per minute to use?

I use this, well would like to.
http://www.fring.com/what-is-fring

You can call a US landline for 1 cent per minute and for $7 a month unlimited calls.

When I initially downloaded the App, you could talk to other users for free, that may have changed. My sister was supposed to dl it for her phone, but we've found just sending messages via gchat to be the best for us.

dont know if this helps or not

We have a landline with O2 and with our package we get unlimited US calls. I think we pay an extra £5 a month. It's definitely worth it.

Do you have Google Voice? If so, download this software, http://hotspotshield.com/, [nofollow] run it, then run GV and call any cell or landline for free.

If you don't have GV, download Hotspotshield first then, dl GV.

You're welcome.

I thought you needed a US phone number to register with Google Voice?

You can make calls from your Gmail acct using Gchat, living in the UK, but cant use the app (Im guessing its coming....) from your phone?

I've been using just a sim card in a normal pay as you go phone. i've been using Lyca mobile to call to the US and its great. My family doesn't get broadband internet in iowa, so at least the phone calls are always crisp and clear. The only issue is maybe a few times i've had a 3 second delay, but as with skype, you get used to it.

I enjoy using the lyca cards because top ups come in as little as 5 quid for a pin. I call to the states about 2 times a week, from 30-60 mins, and a 5 quid card lasts me about 3-4 weeks.

We have a landline with O2 and with our package we get unlimited US calls. I think we pay an extra £5 a month. It's definitely worth it.

Our landline is with BT. I'll have to ask my husband if they have any options like that, that would be really convenient.

Thanks for all the ideas, now I have a few options that I can look into!

Tesco's international prepaid phone card is pretty cheap, about 2p a minute to call a US landline.  I use skype on my mac mostly.  Have you tried deleting and then re-installing the app?

I pay 5 pounds/month with BT for calls to the US (land line or cell). You can talk for up to 60 minutes; after that they charge, BUT....you just disconnect at 59 minutes, and re-dial for a longer call.

Vonage also do a VOIP package that's pretty cheap, but if you have BT, then it's cheaper to pay the 5 quid.

Tesco's international prepaid phone card is pretty cheap, about 2p a minute to call a US landline.  I use skype on my mac mostly.  Have you tried deleting and then re-installing the app?

It stopped working after a recent update. I looked online, and other users are complaining about the new Skype for Android version, that it has a bug that keeps dropping the call, and while you're on the call you can't hear the other person properly. So until they can be bothered to find a fix for it, I think there's no hope of using Skype on my phone anymore.

Phone cards might be a good idea if I can't settle on another calling service, easy enough to get and use them  

I pay 5 pounds/month with BT for calls to the US (land line or cell). You can talk for up to 60 minutes; after that they charge, BUT....you just disconnect at 59 minutes, and re-dial for a longer call.

Vonage also do a VOIP package that's pretty cheap, but if you have BT, then it's cheaper to pay the 5 quid.

We have a landline with BT... I'll have to ask my husband to ring them and ask if we can add that package then, since the phone is in his name, but that sounds like it would be a good option

http://www.labnol.org/internet/get-google-voice-phone-number/18425/

I pay around 15 GPB/month for Vonage.  This gets me unlimited calls to North America, as well as very low-priced calls (~2p/min) to most other countries.  It gives me a local, UK phone number with free voicemail (something BT would charge for on our landline) and all that good stuff.  It also gives me a virtual number in the U.S. (I was able to choose a number in my hometown) which allows my family to call me.

Being able to just pick up the phone and call my sister or best friend whenever something stupid pops into my head, and for them to be able to do the same, makes it the best 15 quid I could spend, hands down.

There may be slightly cheaper options available, but for convenience, reliability and call quality, I can't recommend Vonage highly enough.

I pay around 15 GPB/month for Vonage.  This gets me unlimited calls to North America, as well as very low-priced calls (~2p/min) to most other countries.  It gives me a local, UK phone number with free voicemail (something BT would charge for on our landline) and all that good stuff.  It also gives me a virtual number in the U.S. (I was able to choose a number in my hometown) which allows my family to call me.

Being able to just pick up the phone and call my sister or best friend whenever something stupid pops into my head, and for them to be able to do the same, makes it the best 15 quid I could spend, hands down.

There may be slightly cheaper options available, but for convenience, reliability and call quality, I can't recommend Vonage highly enough.

We have Vonage here in the States, too.  LOVE them!  We have a virtual number which is a local Hull number, so my husband's family can ring and it's only the price of a local call for them, but they are calling us in the states.