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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 538
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I have moved to a cell phone I don't carry,just use in my office to call the States and Europe. I buy triple minutes BZ$50 equals $150 on certain days. If I call the US at the BZ$1 rate I actually pay BZ$0.33 a min to call.Nice clear call no Skype hassles
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 118
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You can only use Skype via a VPN, or if you have an unlocked cell phone that uses a SIM card, the suggestion by Dane is a good one.
You can buy a Belize Digicell SIM card which comes with $10bz of credit, and extra calling minutes online, via the Hot Guide website. You also get 5% cashback on any extra minutes you buy (at any time) and you can use the same offer on double/triple days. You just missed a D/T day on Wednesday but there may well be one before or during your stay, and if you buy on the site you can select to have your minutes credited on the next promotion day, so you get the best deal. Scroll down to the bottom of their home page and you will see the Digicell "button".
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 664
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""Has anybody tired one from here? I used one for 6 years I lived in Europe and it was cheap and easy. Belize is a little expensive, 0.29 cents USD a minute but that is better than the rates I have been paying. http://www.aitelephone.com/international-callback.html I have been trying to get on Skype as well, but have had no luck placing PC to PC calls. I understand this is an ever changing issue, anyone have Skype and is using it?"" That was the very first post I ever started on this site. It was July 31, 2006.
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 118
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Off peak, using Digicell with triple minutes makes off-peak calls to the US, just 14bz cents/minute.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 477
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The notion of BTL trolling these boards for the latest in VoIP bypass hacks in preposterous. They run the network. They see what traffic is passing. They've had tools that can pinpoint VoIP traffic and VoIP flow signatures (regardless of protocol) for years. Whatever they want to block, they can. They don't need the the folks on this message board to clue them in.
Everyone conveniently thought his was an Ashcroft thing. Now he is out and GOB is in and we see the real source of the revenue preservation tactics. BTL is a HUGE source of revenue for the government. Second only to their mobile revenues is international toll revenue. In Belize, VoIP is not about some big tech breakthrough, it's about cost.
If you want an in-bound US/CAN/UK number that rings to your Belize home/cell, that can be done without VoIP - just ask around - and it cannot be blocked. If you want cheap rates for outbound calling to the world, you can continue to do battle with the GOB, but all your doing is taking dollars away from the tax bucket. If your morals allow for that, as with most, go right ahead with your VPN and talk about it all you want... BTL techology is smarter than you think.
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 259
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And it was declared by the PUC to be illegal.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 8,868
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The PUC that has no authority....
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 259
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No more do I or any of us, but they are pretty well placed to assess the legality or otherwise of what has been going on.
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 13,675
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I think this was 2008! Belize Free Internet Consortium BTL VoIP Block Bypass Internet (IP) voice and video are now global standards in communication for many industries. Many people have simply circumvented BTL's blocks, and some have gone so far as canceling BTL in favor of an alternate ISP. It has been some time since this site was updated. We believe it is time for a reminder on how exactly to circumvent BTL and get what the constitution affords you despite the criminal actions of Lord Ashcrook:
If you simply want to dump BTL, your options are SMART/SpeedNet or satellite. The satellite options are still DirecWay, Starband and now iDirect. We may cover these options as they pertain to VoIP usage in further posts. The goal for this post is to update residents of Belize on bypassing BTL's VoIP blocks on their high-speed DSL internet services. If you use Skype or any other PC-based telephony service, the answer is a software VPN (virtual private network). Most people have used HotspotVPN and Witopia Personal VPN. For technical technical reasons beyond the scope of this post, it is always better to opt for a "UDP-based" VPN. AnchoFree is another variety of VPN that is FREE, but quality has varied greatly with AF expecially on 128kbps connections (BTL's $100bz/mo ADSL service). If you use Vonage or Packet8 or any other SIP adapter-based product, there are two options. The first is to turn your PC, running the PC-based VPN software, into a "router/encrypt-er" for your Vonage box. Many of the country's IT professional have been quietly implementing this service for their customers. Ask around and you will likely find a technician willing to help you set this up. The second option for Vonage users to purchase a dedicated VPN router, a hardware based solution. This alleviates the need for a PC to run the VPN and generally results in a much more stable and clear connection for the voice/video call. This option requires a service provider in the US or any country outside Belize to provide a VPN server to which your hardware can connect. The last option is to find a service provider either PC-based or adapater-based that uses the IAX protocol. IAX is a protocol developed along with the open source PBX named Asterisk and is currently NOT blocked in Belize. IAX is a less common IP voice protocol to its big brother SIP, but it works just the same. Future posts will include direct links to IAX service providers and IAX hardware. The goal of this site is to protect the rights of the residents of Belize. We're not interested in bowing to BTL's intimidation. Some comments on this site in the past have suggested that these solutions should be kept quiet. We respect that opinion, but we must also respectfully disagree. BTL is acting criminally. BTL is a piece of a massive criminal scheme to make a few rich British Lords a bit richer. In their circles, Belizeans are a big JOKE. Why should we curb our mutual disrespect and disdain for their behaviour?
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 13,675
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This is more recent http://westernbelizehappenings.blogspot.com/2010/09/btl-to-stay-private-company-controlled.htmlOct 2010 still the same old BTL just now going into different pockets! On August 25th, by virtue of an Act of Legislature of Belize, the Government of Belize became the owner of the majority of the shares in Belize Telemedia Limited. The remaining shares are owned by 908 small shareholders Company Mission Be fast and efficient in providing communication solutions, enriching the quality of life of customers, keeping them connected anytime, anywhere.....but still, not to everyone!
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