Pages tagged with 'calling card basics'
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Shopping for cheap international long distance options can be confusing. One source of confusion is understanding the differences between calling cards and VoIP.
The main issue is that the term 'VoIP', or 'internet telephony', is used in at least two different ways:
To refer to a kind of technology for making and transmitting telephone calls using the internet
To refer to a type of telephone service that uses VoIP, but that is bought differently than calling cards - usually via on-going regular monthly payments like regular landline or mobile phone service
The term calling card...
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To be a smart calling card buyer, you should know your own personal calling patterns.
If you have a good idea of what you need, you'll be able to make much better choices.
Some questions to ask yourself are:
where am I calling?
how many calls am I going to make?
can I make calls in batches all at once or will they be one at a time?
how long will my calls be?
how long will I need the card?
will I be using a payphone for any calls?
am I calling landline or mobile phones?
does the calling card company have a local access number I can use or will I have to...
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Once you have a good idea of your calling needs and have found yourself a couple trustworthy vendors, it is time to pick your calling card.
Given the incredible range of available cards, that's easier said than done - especially if you are truly looking for a good deal.
Below is a checklist of things you'll want to look at before you buy a calling card. They are pretty basic, but they should help you avoid bogus cards.
How to Pick a Calling Card
Here are some things to look for as you narrow down which phone card to buy:
1. Verify that per minute rates are low
For each...
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Calling cards are a way to buy voice calling time on a prepaid basis. Calling cards are also known as phone cards.
Calling cards are used for a variety of reasons - most all of them to do with saving money. A few of the biggest are:
To save money off the high per minute rates charged by your main landline or mobile carrier
To provide voice calling access when you are unable to have your own regular landline or mobile phone service
To provide a way to make calls when you are traveling and don't have access to your regular phone service
Calling cards are designed to be...
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Calling cards are available in an increasingly wide range of places. The main options are to buy thru an online vendor or to buy at a retail store.
As a general rule, we recommend that you buy calling cards thru online vendors, not at retail shops.
Why?
Here are the five main reasons to buy calling cards from online vendors:
Easier to identify and compare vendors online
Easier to verify vendor credentials and reputation
Easier to compare calling card prices and features in-depth
Easier to set-up and manage features like PIN-less dialing and speed dial via online account...
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Long distance and international calling card rates are much cheaper than most landline and mobile phone plans.
The savings can be extraordinary - calling cards and prepaid phone plans can easily save you 50% off normal international long distance calls and in some cases can save you 90% or more.
In one case we saw recently, the advertised per minute rate from a name brand carrier was 70¢ to an international destination and it was 1.9¢ from a popular calling card - that's a savings of 97%!!! Wow!
Even among calling cards, there are huge price differences. This can be seen most sharply...
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