What is Talkster's Free World Dialing?
Talkster's Free World Dialing™ gives you an easy way to make long distance calls, international calls and conference calls with up to 5 friends, all FOR FREE. With Talkster's Free World Dialing there is never any charge for making your long distance or international calls from the ever growing list of countries that Talkster offers around the globe. You just tell us who you want to call and at what number you want to ring them, and Talkster will provide you with a local number to dial to initiate the call. You pay only for a local call (if you are charged for local calls by your provider).
Other calling services want me to give them a credit card number. Will Talkster ever ask me for my credit card number?
Nope, never. Unlike other services out there, there will never be a credit card required to use Talkster's Free World Dialing. We don't charge you any money to use the Talkster service, so we have no need for your credit card number.
How does Talkster's Free World Dialing work?
We create local numbers for you to use to make long distance, international, and group calls. Type in your name and number and your friend's name and number, and we'll create a local number for you to call your friend(s) on.
You tell us who you want to call and what number you want to call them on. We give you local Talkster numbers for your long distance, international and group contacts, which you can call anytime you want to talk for FREE. In exchange for free calling worldwide, we simply ask that you listen to a short audio advertisement that in turn covers the cost of your call. The ads we ask you to listen to may contain special offers or coupons that you can use right from your mobile phone – making the Talkster service even more valuable to you.
Do I need to install anything on my phone to start using Talkster?
No, there is no download or special hardware or software required for using Talkster's Free World Dialing. It works from any regular phone. You just need to come to the Talkster site at
www.talkster.com or (
free.talkster.com on your mobile) to get a local number for your friend and start calling.
Do I need to join Talkster before I can start using Talkster's Free World Dialing?
No, there is no need for a lengthy registration process – we know you just want to get calling! That's why we built Talkster's Free World Dialing so that you can start using it right away. All we need is your name and number and your friend's name and number. Then we give you each a local number to use to call each other. You can use this same local number whenever you want to call your friend, so just save it in your address book on your phone or PC and you'll have it handy the next time you want to call. It's that simple.
What is the difference between Talkster's Free World Dialing and other calling services?
With Talkster's Free World Dialing there are no hidden fees, talking limits, membership charges or credit cards needed. Talkster's Free World Dialing is the only calling service that turns your local calls into FREE long distance, international and group calls. We give you local numbers for your friends all around the world and make it easy to talk to them for FREE whenever and from wherever you want.
How do I get started making calls with Talkster's Free World Dialing?
The first time you call a friend using Talkster's Free World Dialing you will need to go through the invitation process to create a local Talkster number to call your friend. Don't worry, you only have to complete the invitation process once for each friend!
You have three different options for setting up the call:
To start off from your computer or mobile phone go to
www.talkster.com on your computer or
free.talkster.com on your mobile phone's browser. On the form provided, enter your name and the phone number you want to call from, along with the name and number of the person you want to call. Click on
Call to start. Talkster will give you and your friend each a local Talkster number that you can use whenever you want to call each other. Talkster will invite your friend and send you both an SMS with your Talkster number for calling each other.
Call the Talkster number for your friend. When your friend answers, tell them to hang up and call the local Talkster number in the SMS or email they were sent. You stay on the line – don't hang up! When your friend dials back using their Talkster number, you will be connected and can begin talking for FREE!
To set-up the call via SMS, send a text message to
+447624802492.
Send the message in this format:
(Your name) (your friend's phone number in international format) (your friend's name)
example – John 12125551212 Jane
For a group just add more names and numbers (up to 5 friends). Example –
John 12125551212 Jane 14085551213 Jill 13055551214 Joe
You will receive an SMS back with the local Talkster number for your call. If you are using a mobile phone number for your friend, we will send your friend an SMS too, including the Talkster number to use to call you.
Remember, you only need to go through this invitation process once with each friend you want to call. Once you've been assigned a local Talkster number for your friend, you can just save that number in your address book and dial it directly, just as you would dial any other number, any time you want to talk with your friend for free.
How much does Talkster's Free World Dialing cost to use?
All long distance and international calls with Talkster are ABSOLUTELY FREE. You may pay your phone company for the local call, but only if it is not included in your plan or bundled minutes.
Do I need to change my phone, phone company or network provider?
No, Talkster works with any phone and any provider.
Can someone else use my Talkster number to reach my friends?
No, sorry. Your Talkster numbers are personal and cannot be shared. Because it's free, there's no reason for your friends not to get their own Talkster numbers.
In what countries can I use Talkster's Free World Dialing?
Click here to see if you're in a Talkster country. We're adding new countries all the time. If you want your country added to the list,
send us an email at
countries@talkster.com and we'll try to add it as soon as we can!
Can I use Talkster's Free World Dialing in a non-Talkster country?
To use the Talkster service with a mobile phone or landline, both you and your friend need to be in a Talkster supported country. For the list of countries currently available,
click here.
Can I use Talkster to call land lines?
Yes, you can use Talkster to call to both land lines and mobile phones.
How can I tell my friends about their Talkster numbers for me?
When you create a Talkster number for a friend, your friend will receive their number for you in a text message (SMS). If your friend is on a landline and can't receive an SMS, you will see their local number for you alongside your local number for them, when you get the confirmation on the Talkster site or on your phone. Make a note of this number, and tell them next time you speak to them or send them an email or Instant Message with the number.
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Can I use my computer to set up a call using Talkster's Free World Dialing?
Yes, of course! First of all, you don't need to join anything or go through any hefty registration process. There are no downloads, no headset needed, and it works with any phone.
If you are using your computer to set up your call you simply visit
www.talkster.com and enter your name and number and your friend's name and number on the form provided. Next, you call the local Talkster number that we give you for your friend. When your friend answers, tell him to call the number in the SMS he was sent, or to look at the incoming CallerID on his mobile phone, and use that number. Tell him to hang up and call you back on that number. Meanwhile, you hang on – don't hang up! Your friend hangs up and dials back, using his new Talkster number for you. You are connected and begin talking for FREE!
Does Talkster's Free World Dialing work with VoIP calling services like Skype and Vonage?
At this time, Talkster's Free World Dialing works to make calls to and from regular phone numbers whether they are on regular telephone networks or VoIP networks like Vonage and Skype. You can call to Skype-In numbers and to any Vonage phone using the telephone number.
Does Talkster's Free World Dialing work with Instant Messenger Services with voice such as Yahoo!, AOL, and MSN?
In our first release, we are only supporting calls to and from regular phone numbers. Talkster will be incorporating our capability to call to and from Instant Messenger networks such as Google Talk and others very shortly.
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Can I use Talkster's Free World Dialing from my mobile phone or PDA?
Yes, you can use Talkster's Free World Dialing from any mobile phone or PDA, or from any phone for that matter – even a land line.
You can access Talkster from your mobile phone or your PDA at
free.talkster.com. Simply enter your name and number and your friend's name and number on the form provided. Next, you call the local Talkster number that we give you for your friend. When your friend answers, tell him to call the number in the SMS he was sent, or to look at the incoming CallerID on his mobile phone, and use that number. Tell him to hang up and call you back on that number. Meanwhile, you hang on – don't hang up! Your friend hangs up and dials back, using his Talkster number for you. You are connected and begin talking for FREE!
What is free.talkster.com?
free.talkster.com is Talkster's mobile site. The Talkster mobile site lets you use Talkster's Free Dialing service on the go from your mobile phone without the need for access to a computer.
From
free.talkster.com, you can immediately make free long distance calls. The mobile website walks you through the simple process.
Does free.talkster.com work with all kinds of phones?
Yes! Talkster provides a truly mobile service, so anyone with a phone that has a browser and a connection to the Internet – a regular mobile phone, PDA, or smartphone on any network – can stay in touch with family and friends while on the go. If you don't have a phone with a browser, you can still use Talkster by sending an SMS or by using a computer.
Where can I access free.talkster.com?
Anyone with a browser and internet connection, from any type of mobile device – PDA, smartphone, or regular mobile phone – can access the Talkster mobile site anytime from wherever they are; but you can only use the service to make free Talkster calls if you are located in one of the Talkster countries.
Click here to see if you are in one of the Talkster Countries.
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How can I start using Talkster's Free World Dialing from my mobile by sending an SMS?
Send an SMS to
+447624802492.
Send the message in this format:
(Your name) (your friend's phone number in international format) (your friend's name)
example – John 12125551212 Jane
You will receive an SMS back with the local Talkster number for your call. If you are using a mobile phone number for your friend, we will send your friend an SMS too, including the Talkster number to use to call you.
Call the Talkster number for your friend. When your friend answers, tell him to hang up and call the Talkster number in the SMS he was sent. You stay on the line – don't hang up! When your friend dials back using his Talkster number, you will be connected and can begin talking for FREE!
Remember, you can only receive an SMS message if you are calling from a mobile phone. If you are going to be calling from a landline, write down the local Talkster numbers we give you in the confirmation message that you will get when you set up your call on
www.talkster.com.
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How can I use Talkster's Free World Dialing to talk with a group of friends for FREE?
From your computer visit the Talkster site (
www.talkster.com):
Using the web form, enter your name and number and then your friend's name and number. Click on the button to Add someone else. Once you have added as many people as you want (you can add up to 5 friends), click Call to start. You will receive a local number for this conference. You can use this number any time you want to call this same group of people. Call your Talkster number for this group and record a short message that your friends will hear. Then stay on the line – don't hang up!
Your friends' phones ring and they hear the message you recorded.
They each dial in using the Talkster number they have received by SMS or the incoming CallerID number they see on their phone screen.
You are all joined together and begin talking for FREE!
You can also start a group chat exactly the same way from your mobile. Just visit
free.talkster.com on your mobile phone's browser and go through the set-up process for the call as outlined above.
To start a group call using SMS, just add more names and numbers (up to 5 friends).
Example – if John wants a group call with his friends Jane, Jill and Joe:
John 12125551212 Jane 14085551213 Jill 13055551214 Joe
or (the names are optional)
John 12125551212 14085551213
or simply
12125551212 14085551213
How many friends can I have in a group chat?
You can have up to 5 friends on a group chat. And it's totally FREE!
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Is it true that I have to listen to a short advertisement when using Talkster's Free World Dialing?
Yes, we love giving people the chance to call whomever they want for free and we want it to stay that way forever!
So, before your call begins, you will hear a brief 10-second advertisement. We want to provide valuable offers that are of interest to you, so our advertisers are screened with that in mind. Some advertisers will even give you the option of valuable coupons that can be sent to your phone by SMS text message, or the option to connect to them by telephone for free once you've finished the conversation with your friend.
Can I skip the ad?
No, sorry. All you have to do is listen to one brief ad, and then you can speak to your friends all over the world for as long as you like for FREE! We think that's a pretty good deal and we hope you do too!
When I hear an ad for something I want more information on, what can I do?
We have hand selected advertisers that we think our callers will find the most interesting, so we hope you do hear ads that grab your attention. Many advertisers will give you the option to press * (star) to send you a coupon or more information by SMS to your phone and also to “click to communicate” with them after your call is completed. Simply stay on the line once you are done talking, and follow the voice prompts to be automatically connected to the advertiser for free.
How can I use one of the coupons that I receive through an ad on Talkster's Free World Dialing?
When an advertiser has a special discount or coupon available, callers can opt to have the offer sent to their mobile phone via SMS using the voice prompts during the call. If you opt to receive an SMS offer from one of our advertisers, you can simply show the SMS message directly from your phone to the store or restaurant related to the offer to receive your discount.
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Can I use Talkster when roaming or traveling?
Yes. However, you'll need to consider the cost to call your local Talkster number from wherever you are. Please be aware that if you are roaming outside your local area, your provider may charge you for International or roaming rates for all of your calls, including calls to the Talkster local number for your friends.
Alternatively, you can buy a local SIM card and invite your friends from that phone. Note that this will not affect your local numbers for your friends once you get back home.
NOTE: If you would like to use Talkster for roaming outside your local area or to other countries, please email us at info@talkster.com to request information on a premium Talkster account suitable for roaming.
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My friends forgot their Talkster number for me. Where can I find it?
You can ask them to look at the SMS that they were sent, or check the CallerID that they see when you call them. If that doesn't work you can re-invite them as you did the first time. To re-invite them, go to
www.talkster.com on your desktop,
free.talkster.com on your mobile, or send us an SMS with your names and numbers as you did the first time, and you will receive a confirmation message that gives you your Talkster numbers.
I got my local Talkster number. But when I tried to call it, the number didn’t work. Why?
This is almost always because of how you are dialing the number.
Remember, a Talkster number is just like any other local number that you would call in your home city and you dial it exactly the same way.
For example, let’s say you’re in Toronto, Canada and you have a friend in London, UK.
Your friend in London gets her local Talkster number to call you, which is 44 207 1234567.
(We always give you the complete number, including country and city code – in this case, 44 for the UK and 207 for London.)
Assuming your friend is calling from a mobile phone, she should dial the local Talkster number in either one of the following formats:
+442071234567
OR
02071234567
Another example: If you’re in New York City and the Talkster number we give you is:
1 212 555 1212
You would dial it just like you dial any other New York City "212" number:
1 212 555 1212
When I tried placing a call, I heard a prompt that said my CallerID was not detected. Why isn't my call going through?
When calling the Talkster number for a friend, you must have your CallerID enabled. If you have a blocked or private number, Talkster is not able to detect who you are and can't connect your calls. You will hear a prompt telling you that your CallerID was not detected.
If you are unsure if your CallerID is private or blocked, or don't know how to make it visible, please contact your phone provider.
Make sure that the friend you are calling knows this too or else they won't be able to call you back to talk with Talkster's Free World Dialing.
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