< class="pagetitle">Posts Tagged “free”

If you make international business trips and carry a laptop computer than PC-to-Phone service is a great way to stay connected while on the road. As long as you have an INTERNET connection, you can make cheap international calls from any location to other computers or to any phone in the world. Calls to other computers using the same PC-to-Phone software are often Free while there is a charge for placing calls to phones (landlines or cell phones). The rates vary depending on the country and the type of phone called but rates are much lower than those charged by international hotels or long distance carriers. PC-to-Phone service is also popular with students, expats and people who operate small businesses with an international focus.

PC-to-Phone service providers continue to add new features that make their product more flexible and convenient to use. For example, Skype, one of the most popular PC-to-Phone service providers, offers free calls to other Skype users and the following added features.

  • Low rates on calls to landlines and cell phones.
  • An online phone number so people can reach you on Skype from any phone.
  • The ability to send text messages from Skype.
  • A built in Voice Mail feature so calls are never missed.
  • Call forwarding that forwards incoming calls to a regular phone when the user is off-line.
  • Mobile applications so Skype can be used from Mobile Phones.

Skype has continued to innovate and add features in order to broaden the appeal of their service.

We think Skype is a great option for people who want to make free calls to other Skype users. However, Skype’s international rates on calls to landlines and cell phones are not as low as other cheap international calling options. In addition to a per-minute charge for each call, Skype also charges a connection fee for each call made to a land-line or cell phone. In order to evaluate the relative cost of making international calls to landlines or cell phones with Skype, we compared the international rates charged by Skype to those charged by Tel3Advantage for the same call from the USA. Tel3Advantage was selected for this comparison since it is a high quality prepaid calling plan that can be used to make low cost domestic or international long distance calls from any phone without changing companies and it is very popular with those who make frequent international calls from the USA or Canada.

We compared Skype published rates (excluding their connection fee) to those charged by Tel3Advantage to the following popular destinations.

A Comparison of International Rates* (US cents per-minute)

Destinations

Skype

Tel3Advantage

     
Afghanistan

40.8

22

Brazil

6.4

3.6

Mexico

11.4

6

Morocco

29.6

17.5

Nigeria

18.5

13.5

Philippines

22.8

10.5

Saudi Arabia

28.2

10.5

Thailand

13

1.5

*For calls originating in the USA – Rates posted on the respective company websites on January 23, 2010.

In general, it seems that rates charged by Skype on calls to landlines and cell phones are higher than those charged by prepaid long distance providers. This makes sense since they do not make money of the free Skype-to-Skype calls they provide or the free software people can download from their website. They do provide a high quality niche service that is ideal for a segment of the market but it is not the best option for everyone.

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If you make international calls to China from the USA or Canada than this may be of interest to you. Tel3Advantage announced recently that they have lowered their rates for international calls to China from North America from 1.7 to 1.32 cents-per-minute. This rate includes all fees and taxes if the caller uses a local access number when placing the call. A 1 cent-per-minute surcharge is added if the caller uses the Tel3Advantage toll free access number to make the call. It is not hard to avoid the surcharge since Tel3 has a wide network of local access numbers. Calls can be made from any kind of telephone, including mobile phones and hotel or business phones. Tel3Advantage now has the lowest rates on international calls to China from North America.

It is possible to get a lower rate on international calls for the first 30 days if a new customer opens an account using the Tel3Advantage Triple Promo offer. The rate on calls to China for the first 30 days using this offer is only 1 cent-per-minute and the new customer can also get up to 900 free minutes as a sign-up bonus. Visit Tel3Advantage Triple Promo for details or call 800 441 0321.

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A phone card purchase represents prepaid long distance phone time. It is paid in advance and can be used over a period of time. It can be used to make one phone call or it can be used to make multiple calls to more than one destination. Each phone card has a unique number or PIN code so a computer can track the usage and deduct the charge for each call from the starting value or “face value” of the phone card. Some phone cards expire if not used by a certain period of time while other phone cards have no expiration date.

A Phone Card is used by dialing a special phone number which is referred to as an access number. Some phone cards have one access number and others have multiple numbers. Access numbers can be local or they can be toll free. In any case, a phone card is used by dialing an access number and following the prompts in order to place a call. In some cases, one of the prompts will request the user to enter a PIN code to identify the phone card being used. Some phone cards do not require the user to enter a PIN code. These PIN-Free phone cards require the user to register the phone number or numbers where they plan to make calls from and the computer can track their usage with caller ID technology. PIN-Free phone cards a much easier to use since the caller does not need to enter a special code whenever they want to place a call. PIN-Free dialing is a common feature found with high quality virtual phone cards that are purchased from on-line merchants.

Phone cards are purchased in denominations that range from $2 to $100 or more. It is usually best to purchase the smallest denomination first and try using the card before making a large purchase. Prepaid phone cards can be purchased from newsstands, convenience stores, retail stores and from INTERNET merchants. Since prepaid phone cards can have a variety of added costs and hidden fees it is best to study the details and fine print of a phone card before making a purchase. Some phone cards also have limited usage. For example, they can only be used to make domestic long distance calls or to make international long distance calls to specific countries. Be sure to understand the limits of a phone card before making a purchase.

On-line phone cards can typically be purchased using a major credit card or Pay Pal account. Many on-line phone card merchants provide buyers with a user account where the details of the users phone cards are stored. This can be a handy feature for people who make frequent calls and want to track usage. Virtual phone cards like Tel3Advantage come with a variety of features including on-line account management, PIN Free Dialing, call history and speed dial which makes the product very convenient to use.

Many people find prepaid phone cards to be a convenient, money saving product. Prepaid phone cards are convenient since they can be used to make calls from any kind of telephone. They can also save consumers money since the rates are typically cheaper than those offered by phone companies and, since payment is made in advance, they can be used to budget and control phone expense. Phone cards are typically used by people who regularly call overseas, travelers, students and those who do not have regular long-distance phone service.

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The 2009 Tel3Advantage Christmas phone card promotion is in progress. During this promotion new customers who sign-up for the Tel3Advantage Flex Plan will get twice the normal sign-up bonus. It is free to open an account and all a new customer needs to do to qualify for the bonus is make an initial deposit. The amount of the bonus depends on the amount deposited but it ranges from $2 to $18. The bonus can be used to make free domestic and international calls to any location in the world. If you plan to make any international calls from North America this holiday season than you should sign-up for Tel3, get their holiday bonus and try one of the best quality prepaid long distance services in North America. Find out why Tel3 has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and more than 100,000 satisfied customers. Visit Tel3Advantage for details or call 800 441 0321 and ask for the Christmas promo.

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With the Holiday Season fast approaching, a perfect gift for a friend or loved one who is far away may be the gift of a phone card. A phone card gift card can be delivered to any location in the world instantly via e-mail and there is no tax, duty or delivery fee. A phone card gift card is very easy to purchase and is a useful gift, even for the person who has everything.

A gift card can be purchased in any amount (from $5 to $100) and the recipient can trade it in for any phone card they want. So they can choose the best phone card for their needs from a vast range of phone cards including those with a global reach and a full range of special features.

Purchasing a gift card is easy. Once you complete a gift card purchase you will receive an email containing a PIN number and a link – all that is needed for a phone card to be selected and activated. Just send this information to your friend or loved one and they can choose the phone card they want. It is that easy.

Visit Phone Cards International to review a full range of international phone cards and choose the gift card option if you would like to send a special gift to a friend or loved one this holiday season.

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Making international phone calls from France or other European countries to the USA has never been easier or cheaper. As consumer prices continue to climb the cost of making international phone calls continue to drop. This is the result of increased competition and advances in technology. It is now possible to make free international calls using PC-to-Phone service or other INTERNET based technologies like VoIP phone service from nearly any location in the world.

The advent of the INTERNET has no doubt had an impact on international calling rates but, even without competition from the INTERNET, the cost of making international phone calls has been dropping. This has been partially due to improvements in technology but a major factor has been industry deregulation which has dramatically increased competition by allowing new companies to enter the market. There is now a wide variety of international phone cards that can be used to make cheap calls from home, business or cell phones in more than 230 countries. The quality and convenience of these prepaid products have continued to improve as the cost continues to decline.

Another interesting product that can be used to make cheap international calls from nearly any location in the world is international callback. By using international callback phone service, cheap international calls can be made from any country by routing the phone call through a low cost third country. This can save international callers in some countries a lot of money. Especially those countries that keep artificially high international rates by not allowing competition. There are still many countries that route international calls through local, monopoly phone companies and international rates from these countries can be extremely high. International callback is a great way to save money when making calls from these countries.

Making cheap calls from France and the rest of Europe is easy because the market is mostly deregulated and there are many products to choose from. We especially like prepaid phone cards because they offer good value and ultimate convenience. They can be used while traveling to make calls from land-lines or cell phones and can be used to make cheap calls from hotels. Another option is PC-to-Phone service if a high speed INTERNET connection is available. There are many options for making cheap international calls these days, the best and cheapest option typically depends on the technology available to the user and the location where the caller expects to use the products.

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Visit Tel3Advantage and sign-up for their prepaid long-distance phone service during the Father’s Day promo and get double the normal sign-up bonus. This promotion lasts from June 16 through June 22, 2009. During the promotion period a new customer will get up to 946 free minutes just for signing up for the Tel3Advantage Flex Plan. There is no cost to sign-up, all a new customer needs to do is open an account and make an initial deposit ($10 - $100) and bonus funds will be automatically added to their account. The higher the initial deposit, the more bonus funds added as shown below.

Deposit $10 and get $2 in Bonus Funds

Deposit $25 and get $10 in Bonus Funds

Deposit $50 and get $14 in Bonus Funds

Deposit $100 and get $18 in Bonus Funds

Not a bad deal considering Tel3Advantage offers the most popular prepaid calling plan in North America. The flex plan has over 100,000 active customers who routinely use the service to make cheap international calls to any location in the world. The service can be used with any existing service and any kind of phone (cell, home, business, etc.) without changing anything. It is convenient to use and very easy to make calls. The service can be used from the USA and Canada. Tel3Advantage is an honest calling plan with no hidden fees or taxes. This can be verified through an on line call history in every customers personal on-line account that records the length and cost for each call. Now is a great time to try Tel3Advantage and save money on calls to Dad.

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We find that many people are interested in finding ways to save money on international mobile phone calls. It is now possible to make cheap international mobile phone calls from nearly any country. We have listed three of these options below. One nice thing about these options is that they can be used with any existing service provider without changing anything. They are also convenient to use and there are no extra fees for activating or maintaining the service. Therefore, they are good options for both short and long-term use. Two of these plans offer free international call trials so interested parties can try them out before making a purchase.

The following three options for making cheap international calls from mobile phones offer high call quality at low prices. They also do not charge hidden fees or use other tricks to rip-off consumers. The best option depends on the location of the caller and other factors so it is best to review all of the options before making a purchasing decision.

Tel3 Mobile – This is a relatively new mobile phone international calling plan that can be used to make cheap international calls from mobile phones in the USA and Canada. It is a sister plan to the Tel3Advantage Flex Plan which is one of the most popular prepaid long distance calling plans in North America. The company has been in the prepaid long distance business since around 1990 and they are known for high quality, innovative technology and fair prices. It is a very good international calling plan with competitive rates on calls to almost any country.

Rebtel – This is a relatively new international prepaid calling plan that has a different twist. For one, it can be used to make cheap international calls from over 50 countries and calls can be made without dialing an account number or PIN code. They assign customers a local phone number when they open an account. The user can then dial this local number and is automatically connected with a phone in another country. One potential problem with this option is that it can only be used to call one phone number so it is not very versatile. However, it is simple to use and is ideal for those who just want to call one number in one location without dialing a lot of numbers and codes.

Prepaid Phone Cards – These can be used to make cheap international calls from mobile phones in more than 90 countries. Many high quality international phone cards can be used without dialing an account number or PIN code so they are very easy to use. They also feature ultimate flexibility and very low rates. Callers can choose from a wide variety of phone cards so they can easily find the best one for their specific needs. They are also ideal for travelers or those who only have a short-term need.

Any one of these options can save users 80 or 90% on the cost of making international calls from their mobile phones without sacrificing quality or flexibility.

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Tel3Advantage will start their Holiday Promotion on December 15, 2008. The promotion is for new customers and will last through December 31, 2008. Tel3 typically offers these promotions 3 or 4 times per year but this one is lasting for a longer time than normal. This is a great time to sign up for the Tel3Advantage Flex Plan. It is a premium prepaid long distance service that can be used to make cheap domestic or international calls from the USA or Canada. It is a unique service that comes with a variety of features free of charge, high quality and very competitive rates to most destinations in the world. It is also convenient since it can be used from any phone including home, cell, business, hotel or even pay phones.

New customers will get up to 946 Free Minutes if they sign up for the Tel3Advantage Flex Plan during the promotion period. It is free to sign up, all a new customer needs to do is open an account and deposit as little as $10. The deposit is used to pay for calls as the customer uses the account. Tel3Advantage works something like a phone card but it does not have all of the hidden fees and taxes associated with most prepaid phone cards. In fact there are no hidden fees or taxes and Tel3 uses a one minute rounding interval. Tel3Advantage is actually cheaper to most locations than phone cards with equivalent quality when all fees and taxes are considered.

Tel3Advantage will add the following bonus amounts to new accounts opened during the promotion period.

Deposit $10 and get a $2 bonus credit.
Deposit $25 and get a $10 bonus credit.
Deposit $50 and get a $14 bonus credit.
Deposit $100 and get a $18 bonus credit.

Use the additional bonus credit to make calls to any location you choose. For details, visit Tel3Advantage website or call 800 441 0321.

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Tel3 started a special promotion today for new customers who sign-up for their Tel3Advantage prepaid long distance phone service. The promotion will last through October 24, 2008. New customers who sign-up during this period will receive twice the normal sign-up bonus. In other words, the following amount of money will be added to a new customer account depending on the amount of money initially deposited.
  • Deposit $10 and receive an additional $2 in Free Calls.
  • Deposit $25 and receive an additional $10 in Free Calls.
  • Deposit $50 and receive an additional $14 in Free Calls.
  • Deposit $100 and receive an additional $18 in Free Calls.

If you make international phone calls and have not tried Tel3Advantage than now would be a great time to give them a call at 800 441 0321 or visit the official Tel3Advantage website for details. Tel3Advantage provides a high quality service at great rates and they don’t offer this promotion very often. You should sign up now even if you do not plan to make any calls for a while. Tel3Advantage does not charge any maintenance fees so the money will stay in the account until it is used to make phone calls.

The following information is provided for those who are not familar with Tel3Advantage. Tel3 is based in Miami and has been in the long distance phone business since 1994. The Tel3Advantage program was introduced over 4 years ago and is basically a high quality virtual phone card or prepaid calling plan that people use to make low cost domestic or international long distance phone calls. It features high qualilty, a full range of features and low cost. Tel3Advantage has more than 100,000 active customers and is widely used to make international calls from North America (Canada and the USA). Please visit the International Calling Guide to learn more about Tel3Advantage and other products for making low cost international phone calls.

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Tel3 announced today that they are offering a Free No Obligation Trial offer of their popular prepaid  long distance phone service for cell phone users. There is no cost or obligation. Those who sign up will be able to make up to 60 minutes of Free International Phone Calls using Tel3Advantage. Visit Tel3 Advantage Free Offer for more details and/or to sign up for this Free Offer.


Tel3Advantage is a popular prepaid long distance phone service that can be used to make low cost long distance calls from any phone in the USA or Canada.  It is very simple to use and it can be used with any existing service provider.  It is a high quality, low cost option for making international long distance phone calls.  For further information on Tel3Advantage, visit International Calling Guide or call 800 441 0321. 

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