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Calling Cards - A better option for international calling!
Long distance
calling cards aren't so useful these days because a lot of
wireless
plans are often nationwide (at least in the U.S.). With
the world becoming more and more global though, there's a lot of
interest in international calling. That's why you'll see
these types of cards referred to generically as Phone Cards rather than
Long
Distance or International Cards, even though they can be used for all
of these purposes. The great thing about calling
cards is that you can use them with any phone, including your prepaid
wireless phone. Just remember though, that you'll still be
using your prepaid wireless minutes according to your plan rules.
There are literally hundreds of different types of
calling cards out there.
Common things to look out for when choosing a phone card are:
- Price
per
minute to the country or countries you call most often.
- Connection
charges - Some cards charge a one time fee just to connect
a call.
You'll usually find that you get a lower price per minute
when there's a connection fee, which is still a good deal when you make
long calls, but for short calls, your effective price per minute will
usually be way to high.
- Other
fees and tariffs - Sometimes there are taxes and other
charges
tacked onto the price per minute, or even monthly charges (whether or
not you use the card), so be sure to read the fine print.
- Can
the PIN (Personal Identification Number) be recharged (i.e. reused)?
-
If yes, many consider this to be a great benefit because they can
continue to reuse the same PIN and likely come to memorize it, which
makes calling much easier.
- Do
they offer local calling numbers? - Often times
they'll charge you more per minute if you use an 800 number to
help cover their cost to maintain the toll free numbers (so
really they're
not toll free!).
Because I never know
whether I'm going to have a short or long conversation (they may not be
home or running out to do something when I call), I prefer an
international calling card with a fixed/flat rate, with no connection
fee or extra charges. That way I know exactly what I'm paying
per minute. For this peace of mind, I'll pay a slightly
higher per minute fee. But, of course, depending on your
needs and calling patterns, your preferences may be different.
That's why there's so many options out there for you to
choose from!
I have come to appreciate the
service offered by prepaidonline.com. Some
things that I really like about their service:
- I
can login online and setup the phone number that I usually call from, so when I
call from that phone, it will automatically know my PIN so I don't have
to enter it! Then I just have to enter the phone number I
want to call. For me this is an amazing feature.
- They
offer a convenient 800 access number.
- I
can recharge the same PIN, which means that I don't have to worry about
keeping track of new PIN numbers (I need to know the PIN if I don't
call from my normal phone or if my wife uses the same card).
- My
credit card number is securely stored online so I can easily recharge
anytime.
- I accumulate points
for each purchase.
- They keep
it real by providing a brief summary of the best usage of the card.
For example, they say that such and such a card is best for
long calls only.
- They have a
simple
tool that helps you zone in on the best options depending on what
country you're calling from and what country you're calling to.
So,
if you call internationally even a little, it's very likely that
calling directly from your prepaid wireless phone will be too
expensive, and you may want to consider a separate calling calling
card.
Return from Calling Cards to International Calling
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