Thread: Russia calling, Russia calling - but what should it cost?

I wish I had internet in Dmitrov

Let her use Skype. I make international calls for only $0.021 USD per minute (to australia).

Originally Posted by "Vincent Tailors"

Let her use Skype. I make international calls for only $0.021 USD per minute (to australia).

And the sound quality's ok?

I rang Moscow last night (the old-fashioned way, using a telephone) and the sound quality was disappointingly poor. It occurred to me that VoIP might actually sound better than that!

I rang Moscow last night (the old-fashioned way, using a telephone) and the sound quality was disappointingly poor. It occurred to me that VoIP might actually sound better than that!

I think your phone operator also use VoIP but of bad quality

If your friend lives in a small city or in a village the phone lines will always be terrible. While Moscow has DSL and other luxeries of the modern world the rest of us get by with ancient phone lines that crackle and fuzz out. Usually we can also hear several other people on the line when we make or get calls.

She lives in Moscow and seems to have access to all the stuff, and more, that I have in a provincial English town.

By the way, why is it, whenever I talk to a Russian and ask, "Where are you from?" the answer is always "Moscow"? Where are all the other Russians? Is the answer perhaps "Out in the sticks with no internet access at all?" Or are only the Muscovites interested in hanging out with Brits in cyberspace?

I have nothing against Moscow, it sounds like a great place. Just sometimes I would like the answer "I live in Siberia and my only neighbours for 3 000 miles are 6 000 reindeer and Дед Мороз".

The majority of Russians do not have any way to interact with foreigners from Europe or America. I live in a small city only 1 1/2 hours north of Moscow and I am the only native English speaker in the whole city. Moscow, St.Pete, and tourist cities are usually the most likely locations to find Europeans and Americans. I do know an American who works for a large company in Novosibersk but he hasn't met many Brits or Americans there. Also Americans and Brits work in the oil industry in Sahkalin but they live in nice American style housing compounds with security fences and guards,far from the local populace

How do you expect those Siberian herdsman to talk with you? E-mail? Telephone? Carrier Pigion?

Originally Posted by 'JB'

The majority of Russians do not have any way to interact with foreigners from Europe or America.

Most English speakers don't interact with Russians either. That's what makes learning Russian so much fun. We begin not knowing much about each other.

Whenever I enthuse to my German friends about how warm and cuddly the Germans are, they point out that it's only the warm and cuddly ones who make any effort to befriend foreigners. Point taken. I'm not likely to ever meet Russians in little villages - not until I go and visit Russia, anyway.

Originally Posted by JB

How do you expect those Siberian herdsman to talk with you?

Ermm....Carrier reindeer? Just how far can those things fly? ''

it takes me one hour 15 mins to get to the gym

Originally Posted by rainbowworrier

And the sound quality's ok?

Absolutely! Like in the same room. And it's even of much better quality than our local landline.

P.S. I live in a small town and the superb service Skype offers is salvation.
Of course its quality depends heavily on your connection. Best with broadband. I have a 26 Mb/sec connection (real bandwidth) and it's just perfect, no lags, no noises, just clean voice. I don't know how it will go with slow lines though. Must be ok. I mean slow broadband. Dialup is hell.