UK phone calling on the Alexa

[MartinB999]

Anyone heard any news about when we will be able to call any landline/mobile on the Alexa? My friend in the US can call anyone on his and he can call me on mine but i cannot call him. I spoke with Customer Service last week and they told me that it would probably be the end of March - but not holding my breath..........

[StevenR]

I haven't heard anything but they'll need to release it soon otherwise they may start losing customers to Google Home, since Google have now rolled support for making phone calls in the UK.

[MartinB999]

Yes, I'm thinking the same StevenR. Best they get their fingers out over here........

[MartinB999]

Anyone got any updates on this?
They seem to taking their time, dragging their feet getting this off the ground in the UK. I wonder why?

[Resonance]

Anyone got any updates on this?
They seem to taking their time, dragging their feet getting this off the ground in the UK. I wonder why?

I imagine they are reluctant, because of the cost to them of mobile phone termination charges. In the US landline and mobiles cost the same, but over here calls to mobiles are daft money.

[MartinB999]

Anyone heard any news about when we will be able to call any landline/mobile on the Alexa? My friend in the US can call anyone on his and he can call me on mine but i cannot call him. I spoke with Customer Service last week and they told me that it would probably be the end of March - but not holding my breath..........

I wrote about 3 months ago on here wondering when landline calls would come etc........ still no news. I'm thinking of switching over to the google home set up now, replacing all eight of my devices and starting again. I have a friend with google home and it seems to be able to do much more (google searches etc) although the sound quality isn't what I am used to. Anyone else migrated or thinking of it? Pros and cons of doing so would be appreciated (I've read the web reviews but I think 99% of these are bias).............

[Jon1606]

I am a tad confused here and the thought that amazon are dragging their feet because of mobile costs.
I was under the impression that echo connect was basically just a bridge to your landline that converted your speech and allowed the echo to be a speaker for the phone to make the call, the landline was being used for all costs.
To that end I do not understand why the echo connect has not been released in the UK and what difference a US version would have.. could a US model be imported and used in  the UK?
Amazon are beginning to annoy me with releases in the US but not the UK

[MartinB999]

Hi Jon, me too!
My mate has the set up in the US (Walnut Creek, SF) and has had no issues since it started. He tells me that all calls to mobiles and landlines are FREE, so they are not a part of his phone package. Maybe this could be the sticking point here in the UK? I got sick of waiting and have now migrated most of my alexas over to the google set up - and I get calls free on there to landlines AND mobiles in the UK. Very clear and crisp calls and easy to use. I can MAKE calls but you cannot accept calls on the system so you still have to pick up the phone for incoming calls.
Sadly I think the Alexa team have missed the boat here...............

[Jon1606]

Just noticed that the connect has been removed from the amazon UK website.
Please god this means that they about to release it.

[MartinB999]

Hey Jon - don't hold your breath!
I called Alexa customer support, they told me exactly the same as they have numerous times before....., "....the connect will be released in the UK very soon". When I tell them that they told me that in January, all I get is the standard, "sorry Sir, we don't have a release date for the UK as yet, but it will be soon"!!

[MartinB999]

Well, just seen that they have put the page back up about the Echo Connect, "Coming in 2018". That seems a little lame after all the hype at the end of last year and Amazon telling me numerous times it was coming in March...... but let's see how it goes.........
https://www.amazon.co.uk/b?ie=UTF8&node=14157459031

[DiandalScotland]

Download an app called. Mastermind
Enable it on the echo
It can send and read out sms and call and answer calls through Alexa.

[Shanghaichica]

Download an app called. Mastermind
Enable it on the echo
It can send and read out sms and call and answer calls through Alexa.

Thanks. It’s not working on the iPhone yet. Hopefully soon.

[mclingo]

doh, obviously....

that reduces the volume on everything not just her voice....

[Jon1606]

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