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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.

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.

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.

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.

A caller must use the proper international phone codes in order to place an international call. In general, the sequence of numbers used to make international calls follow a similar pattern but the exit code can vary depending on the country where the call originates. The following is an example of the dialing codes used to place an international call from the USA, Canada or other North America Dialing Plan (NANP) country.

(011) + (country code) + (city code) + (phone number)

The first number in the sequence (in this case 011) is commonly referred to as an exit code or international access code. It can also be called an International Direct Dialing (IDD) code. This code can vary between countries but it is necessary because it identifies the call as international.

The following is an example of dialing an international call to Amman, Jordan from the USA.

011 962 6 + (local phone number)

In the above example the 011 is the IDD code. This code identifies the call as an international phone call. The proper IDD code to use depends on the country where the call originates. Visit dialing codes international for further information.

The second three-digit number (962) in the above example is the country code for Jordan. The country code will vary depending on the country called; visit Country and City Dialing Codes for a complete list of country codes.

The third number (6) is the city code for Amman, Jordan. The international city code is also a specific number. In the USA, this is commonly called an area code. AT&T provides one of the most comprehensive lists of city codes available. Visit Country and City Codes for more details.

These dialing codes are followed by the local phone number.

A similar sequence of numbers is used when a call is placed to a mobile phone located in another country. However, it should be noted that the cost for calling a mobile phone is typically much higher than making an international call to a house phone or any land line phone. Visit cheap international calling for information on saving money on international phone calls made from any location in the world.

Many people want to make cheap international calls to cell phones and there are several options available today. The best or cheapest option depends on several factors so one option is not the best for every caller. Things like the location of the caller, the destination called and the type of phone the caller intends to use (land line, INTERNET or cell phone) are all important factors to consider when shopping for the international service. Most people are looking for an option that is high quality, cheap and convenient to use so we reviewed the pros and cons of a few popular options. These included two International VoIP calling plans, a PC-to-Phone service, a popular prepaid long distance phone service and a high quality phone card. The results of our review are presented below.

Several VoIP service providers now advertise that they include free international calls to several countries with their phone service. Vonage and Lingo offer two of the most popular VoIP services. In most cases, the free calls included with these plans are to landlines not cell phones, as shown later; in most cases, international calls to cell phones are not cheap with these plans. Vonage indicates that they include free calls to 60 countries with their new Vonage World plan and Lingo advertises that free calls to 75 countries are included with their Lingo World Max service. Vonage charges around $32.60 per month (including taxes and fees) for their service and Lingo charges about $31 per month (including fees and taxes). In addition to the monthly service fees, users also need to pay for a high-speed INTERNET connection so neither service is actually free. Both calling plans also require a service contract (Lingo requires 2 years and Vonage requires 1 year) and charge an early termination fee if a customer chooses to stop using the service, so they are not a convenient option for short-term users. However, both phone services are good quality and one of them may be a good deal for those who want low cost home phone service and the ability to make frequent international calls to one or more of the countries covered by their plans.

Skype offers a very popular personal computer based phone service. It can be used to make free PC-to-PC calls worldwide so it is very popular with students, international business travelers and expats living around the world. Skype can also be used as a PC-to-Phone service where users can make calls to landlines or cell phones from their PC but there is a fee for this service. As shown later, Skype PC-to-Phone rates are not that cheap and Skype is not a very convenient option since calls are made from a PC so we believe there are better and cheaper options for making international calls to cell phones.

Prepaid long distance is another option so we examined the Tel3Advantage Flex Plan, which is one of the most popular prepaid plans in North America. It can be used to make cheap long distance calls from any phone (cell, home, business or pay phone) in Canada and the USA. It is a popular service for making cheap international calls because it is convenient to use, offers some of the lowest rates and does not require a monthly fee or contract.

We wanted to compare the above options with the rates offered by a high quality phone card so we chose the Continental Phone Card. It can be used to make cheap calls from over 60 countries and is one of the most versatile phone cards on the market. It has low fees relative to other phone cards but it does charge a 15% tax (surcharge) on calls so we include this in the per-minute rates listed in the Table below. The continental card is a virtual phone card that can be used from any kind of phone. Customers get a free on-line account where they can monitor activity and make changes to their account so it is a viable long or short-term option.

We have summarized the rates charged each minute for calls originating from the USA using the options listed above in the following table. We randomly selected a variety of popular destinations in order to compare rates to different regions of the world. Note that Tel3Advantage offers rates that are similar to phone cards on calls to cell phones in most locations while both VoIP service providers and Skype charge significantly higher rates.

The last thing most people think about when preparing for an international journey is a calling card but it may be one of the most useful things to bring. There are many important items to remember when packing for an international trip, like travel documents and plane tickets, but an international phone card should be high on the list. A good international phone card is useful because it can be used to make cheap international calls from nearly any kind of phone (including airport pay phones or hotel phones). A phone card can also save money. One of the first things most people want to do when they reach a foreign destination is to call friends or loved ones at home. International hotels know this and typically charge exorbitant rates for international calls. A few short international calls from a hotel room can cost as much as the room charge. That is why experienced travelers save time, hassles and money by packing a couple international phone cards before leaving home.

Other than saving money, there are other good reasons for purchasing international phone cards before traveling. Some of these are listed below.

• It is a great way to budget money for phone calls since phone cards are prepaid and can be purchased in small denominations.

• There is a wide variety of virtual phone cards available on-line that can be used to make calls from nearly any country in the world. They can be used to make low cost long distance calls from pay phones in airports, hotels or nearly any major city in the world.

• Virtual phone cards are convenient because users can access their on-line account via the INTERNET from any location. Many virtual phone cards have an on-line call history so users can view a record of the calls and charges made on their phone card or even transfer funds between cards. They can also conveniently refill their phone card from any location.

• Virtual phone cards are safely stored in a customer’s online account so they cannot be lost or stolen.

Remember that phone cards do not have universal coverage so check the rates and accessibility for the countries you plan to use them from before making a purchase. Some merchants, like phone cards international, allow users to transfer funds between phone cards. This can be done conveniently through a customer’s on-line account and is a nice feature for those who plan travel to multiple countries or regions of the world. In any case, purchase high quality phone cards and check to be sure they will work from the countries being visited. This is easy to do if the phone cards are purchased from a reputable on line merchant.

Most consumers know that prepaid phone cards can be used to make cheap domestic and international long distance phone calls but many do not know that they also offer a full range of features. These features make them more convenient to use and a viable option for long term savings.

Consumers who purchase phone cards at supermarkets or convenience stores may be missing a lot of these features and may also be paying a higher rate for calls since it is very easy to shop and compare rates and features on-line. Many high quality phone card websites offer free search features which makes it very easy to find and compare phone cards from any location in the world. Phone cards can be safely purchased on-line and they are safely and conveniently stored in an on-line customer account.

Some of the common features found with high quality virtual prepaid phone cards are listed below.

• PIN Free dialing has become a common feature with many virtual phone cards. It allows a caller to register phone numbers so they do not need to enter a special code when making calls from a registered phone. The registered phone numbers can be conveniently edited in the customer’s on-line account.

• Many virtual phone cards feature a permanent PIN so the code does not change each time the phone card is re-charged or purchased. These permanent PIN phone cards are typically stored in an on-line account that can be accessed by a user from any INTERNET connection.

• Most permanent PIN phone cards also allow an optional automatic recharge function. Many users find this to be an attractive option since it assures that they will not run out of funds during a call and the card is always available for use.

• Many virtual phone cards come with a call history feature that tracks and stores the details of each call (including location, length of call and cost). The call history can be accessed through the customer’s on-line account. This is a very handy feature that is typically included with high quality phone cards.

• Many on-line phone cards include a Speed Dial feature. This allows the user to add phone numbers to their personal account so they can call these numbers by pressing 2 or 3 numbers on their phone. This is a convenient feature for those who plan to make international calls to the same phone numbers.

• Some on-line merchants allow customers to transfer funds between phone cards. This is a useful feature for users who call to or from multiple locations and want to use the phone card offering the best rates.

• Most on-line merchants have a handy search tool built into their website that allows shoppers to search for the best phone card for their needs. These search tools will list phone cards with the lowest rates for making calls to and from specific locations. In many cases they also provide phone card quality ratings and a summary of features, taxes and fees.

• Some on-line phone cards, like the continental card, can also be used to make conference calls, international callback calls from virtually any location in the world and to set-up personal toll free numbers in the USA.

There are virtual phone cards or prepaid calling plans like Tel3Advantage that offer many of the features listed above as well as some other not so common features. Tel3 offers a mobile plan where users can make direct-dial international phone calls from their Mobile Phones. With Tel3 Mobile, users do not need to dial an access number or PIN code when placing an international call. They simply dial the international code and their call is automatically routed over the low cost Tel3 network. Tel3 also offers a business calling plan with many on-line tools and features that are ideal for small to medium size business users. Tel3Advantage can be used to make cheap domestic and international long distance phone calls from Canada and the USA.

Phone cards have come a long way since their introduction in the 1970’s but companies like Tel3 and others continue to introduce new features and services so the virtual phone card of tomorrow will be even more useful than it is today.

International callback phone service is a good option for people who want to make calls from countries which impose a high tariff on international calls. It saves callers money by routing their international calls through low cost third countries like the USA, Canada or Western Europe. Unlike VoIP, PC-to-Phone and many phone cards, international callback can be used to make cheap international calls from any country.

International callback calls are triggered using different means depending on the product but the results are basically the same. The caller receives an international phone call from a low cost third country. After answering the call the caller can either place a low cost call through the callback service provider’s network by direct dialing the desired phone number or, in some cases, the call is automatically routed to the desired destination phone number. In either case, the caller can save a significant amount of money with international callback because they are receiving an international phone call not placing one from a high cost country.

One innovative type of international callback is e-mail triggered callback. This product is included as a very useful feature with the Continental Phone card. They refer to it as Web Call but we find this name a bit misleading. It implies that calls are made over the INTERNET but, in reality, it is a callback phone service where calls are initiated by sending a pre-formatted e-mail message. The calls are actually made over any standard land-line telephone or cell phone. Those interested in more details should visit the following page, Web Call.

The Continental Card is a very versatile phone card that can, among other things, be used to make cheap international calls from over 60 countries by calling an access number and placing a call. It can also be used to make conference calls, low cost VoIP or PC-to-Phone service and it can be used to set up a personal toll free phone number. The continental card can be used to fill a variety of telecom needs.

During the Tel3Advantage September promotion new customers will receive double the free minutes when they open an account. The promotion lasts through September 28, 2009. Those interested should visit the Tel3Advantage website or call 800 441 0321.

So what does the promotion mean? Tel3Advantage normally offers a bonus for new customers who open an account and deposit $25 or more. During this promotion new customers will get double the normal bonus according to the following schedule:

Deposit $10 and receive an additional $2 (there is normally no bonus for this amount).
Deposit $25 and receive an additional $10 (the normal bonus is $5)
Deposit $50 and receive an additional $14 ( the normal bonus is $7)
Deposit $100 and receive an additional $18 ( the normal bonus is $9)

Tel3Advantage is one of the most popular prepaid calling plans in North America and now is a great time to give it a try. It can be used to make cheap domestic and international long distance calls from any kind of telephone in Canada or the USA. It is especially popular with people who make frequent international phone calls since it can be conveniently used from mobile phones as well as house or business phones. It can be used with any existing service provider so there is nothing to change and opening an account is free. There are never any monthly or weekly maintenance fees like those charged by other companies. In general, there are no hidden fees. Customers only pay the per-minute charges listed on the Tel3Advantage website when they place a call with no other fees or taxes. Tel3 also has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau which is very good for a company that has been marketing prepaid calling products for over 15 years.

Those interested in other low cost calling products like phone cards, voip or PC-to-Phone should visit the cheap international calling guide for more information.

There are several high quality phone cards on the market today. The “best phone card” depends, in part, on how the caller intends to use the product. It also depends on where the caller wants to use the phone card and what destinations they plan to call. In any case, a phone card rated the best in its class should have top rated voice quality, connectivity and customer service along with honest billing and useful features such as PIN free dialing and call history. With these criteria in mind, there are a few products which meet or exceed the expectations of most users. We discuss some of these below.

First and foremost we believe that Tel3Advantage offers the best prepaid calling product for making either domestic or international long distance calls from North America. Tel3 has been in the prepaid calling business for along time (around 15 years) and it is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating. What does this rating mean? Well the BBB defines an A+ rating as, “An exemplary rating. This means that nothing in our files causes us to have any doubt about the company’s reliability.” A review of BBB comments is not a bad place to start when searching for the “Best Phone Card” but what makes Tel3Advantage better than the competition? There are several reasons but one big one is that they listen and adjust to the market. For starters, they offer a high quality product with low rates on calls to almost any location in the world. They also present their rates in an honest manner with no hidden charges, taxes or extra fees so a potential customer knows exactly what they will pay per-minute when they place a call. They have a wide network of access numbers in Canada and the USA so a user will almost never find a busy signal when dialing an access number. They are also innovators; Tel3Advantage offers programs with special features for mobile phone users and small to medium size businesses. Tel3Advantage also comes complete with popular features such as on-line account management, call history, speed dial and PIN free dialing. The only negative we know of is that Tel3Advantage can only be used to make calls from Canada and the USA.

Along with Tel3Advantage, there are at least two other phone cards that could be considered the best in their class. These are sold under the brand names Continental and Simply. Both of these phone cards are sold by Smart Global Call Phone Cards International. The Continental phone card is one of the most popular and is also one of our favorites. It has very high voice quality and is one of the most versatile prepaid calling products. It can be used as a phone card to make international calls via access numbers located in more than 60 countries but it can also be used in other applications. Some of these are prepaid VoIP, prepaid conference calling, prepaid PC-to-Phone, SMS call and Web Call. We find the Web Call feature to be one of the most interesting. Using Web Call, a user can connect two phones anywhere in the world by sending a preformatted e-mail message to a computer. This means that a caller in a country like Saudi Arabia can make a very cheap international call to the USA or any other country by avoiding the local monopoly phone system. The continental card also comes complete with features like on-line account management, call history and PIN free dialing.

Many people consider the AT&T phone card to be one of the best phone cards. We also believe it is one of the best in terms of voice quality, billing accuracy and range of use. It is one of the few phone cards that can be used to make calls from around 200 countries. However, it has extremely high rates when compared to other phone cards and it comes with no features except toll free access. It does not even have PIN free dialing so a caller must dial an access number and enter a complex PIN code before placing a call. Therefore, we think the AT&T phone card may be a good option for some international travelers but it is not the best phone card for long-term use. As discussed above, there are far cheaper options with similar voice quality that are also much more convenient to use.

Tel3 announced recently that they have lowered rates on international calls from the USA and Canada to several popular destinations. The list below includes the destinations along with the new rate in USA cents/min. In order to get these rates a customer needs to open an account with Tel3 using the Tel3Advantage Triple Promo offer. A new account can also be opened by calling 1 800 441 0321 and asking for the Triple Promo.

Algeria 6.5 cents/min
Brazil 1.2
Denmark 1.2
Ethiopia 15.3
Georgia 3.4
Japan 1.4
Korea, South 1.3
Kuwait 5.6
Liberia 13.5
Malta 3.4
Mexico 1.2
Mozambique 5.6
Namibia 6.3
Portugal 1.2
Spain 0.9
Switzerland 1.2
Taiwan 1.3
Tajikistan 6.0
Tanzania 8.5
UAE 10.5
Uruguay 4.1

The rates listed above are to landlines. Rates to mobile phones will likely be different so it is a good idea to check the rates on the Tel3 website before opening an account. There are a variety of other options for making cheap international calls but Tel3 is one of the more popular options offered in North America. It can be used from any kind of phone without changing carriers and does not require a long term contract or other obligation. It also does not have any hidden charges, taxes or account maintenance fees. Tel3 also has a very responsive customer service department and is the only company in the industry rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau.

Many people overlook added features, like call history, when shopping for phone cards. They are simply too interested in things like cost per-minute for making calls to their desired destination and call quality to pay attention to seemingly unimportant added features like PIN Free Dialing, Speed Dial or Call History. Most of these added features may not seem very valuable but they can make using a phone card much more convenient. For example, international callers who have used phone cards with a PIN Free Dialing feature find it very difficult to use a card where it is necessary to enter a PIN code each time a call is placed.

The phone card market is confusing to most consumers because phone card carriers have been creative in devising hidden fees and other tricks so they can advertise extremely low rates and still make money. In most cases, because of hidden charges, callers end up paying more than they expect when placing calls. We have listed the common hidden fees below and have provided some tips so phone card shoppers can at least make an informed purchase and have a basic understanding of the market.

To avoid many common consumer mistakes, we suggest purchasing phone cards from websites where all of the fees are fully disclosed in an easy to read format and customers rate phone cards. There are websites that provide simple to use tools so users can compare phone cards in a simple to understand format. Websites like smartglobalcall.net display customer ratings for all of the phone cards they sell.

1. Check the rate (usually cents/min) to the destination you want to call. Remember that the rates listed or advertised are normally to house phones (landlines). Calls made to cell phones often have higher rates. Also, the advertised rates typically do not include phone card fees or taxes that can significantly increase the cost of a call.

2. Look for added fees, taxes and hidden costs. These should be listed in an easy to read format but can also be buried in the fine print. Remember you will likely pay more than the advertised rate when using a phone card so the trick is to minimize the added fees. Added fees will be called things like connection fee, disconnection fee, taxes, maintenance fee, pay phone fee and long call fee. These fees will vary between calling cards. Some phone cards will have all or most of these added fees and others will not have any of them.

3. Phone cards will also have different rounding or billing increments. These are often in one, three or 6-minute increments. The billing increment can have a significant impact on the calling cost depending on how the calling card is used. A calling card with a one-minute billing increment will charge a customer 4 minutes for a 3.5 minute call while a calling card with a 3 minute billing increment will charge a customer 6 minutes for the same call. The cost of a call is rounded up to the next billing increment so; in general, a card with a lower billing increment has a lower cost.

4. Phone card fees are typically minimized if calling cards are purchased in smaller denominations and used for one call or over a short period-of-time. In general, phone card fees do not start until it is used the first time. Many companies offer calling cards in denominations of $5, 10, 20, 50 and 100. We recommend trying a small denomination card ($5 to $10) before making a large purchase. In most cases, it is generally better to buy several small denomination cards than to purchase one with a big denomination.

5. The call quality of a phone card depends on the international carrier used and is not always equal between vendors to a given location. There are many international telecom carriers and call quality will vary between carriers. There are generally three levels of call quality (referred to as Tier 1, 2 and 3) with regard to telecom carriers. Tier 1 carriers offer the best quality but they also charge the highest rates. Therefore, in general, calling cards with the lowest advertised rates also tend to have the lowest call quality because they use lower Tier carriers.

6. Check for local access number availability. Many cheap calling cards have low per minute rates but have few local access numbers and charge 1 or 2 cents per minute extra for using a toll free access number.

7. All phone cards carry an FCC imposed fee for using a pay phone in the USA. However, the rate will vary between phone cards (it ranges from around $0.49 to $1) so check this rate if you plan to use a pay phone.

8. Phone cards typically have an expiration date so be sure and use the card before it expires.

9. Purchase phone cards from a vendor that has 24/7 customer service. If nothing else, you may have a question or need some advice.

10. Look for added features. Many phone cards have a full range of useful features that some users may value while others may not. For example, the AT&T phone card has very high call quality (also high rates) but almost no features. Others have features like PIN free dialing, call history, speed dial and automatic recharge, which make the cards easier and more convenient to use.

So, how should a consumer use this information? There are a few things to consider. First, try to compare phone cards on the same basis. When phone card rates are adjusted for hidden fees, taxes and other billing tricks, many calling cards with very cheap advertised rates actually cost as much or more to use than a moderately priced card with higher call quality. Remember, a calling card that cannot be used nor has extremely poor quality is worthless to the user. Any money spent on a purchase is simply lost.

Another option is to use a prepaid calling plan like Tel3Advantage. It is loaded with features like on-line call history, PIN free dialing and speed dial. It is also one of the most popular calling plans in North America. It can be used to make cheap long distance calls from any kind of phone in Canada or the USA.

The next time you are in a hotel and want to make a long distance phone call you might want to try a prepaid phone card rather than placing a direct-dialed long distance call through the phone in your room. Using a phone card is just as convenient and has far cheaper long distance rates than those charged by hotels (including tax and surcharges). It is easy to shop and compare phone card rates on-line from any location in the world. Phone cards can be securely purchased on-line and they can be instantly used to make cheap domestic or international long distance calls. Rather than paying $0.50, $1.00 or more per-minute to make a direct-dialed call from a hotel room, the same call can be made for as little as 1 cents per-minute with a prepaid phone card.

Phone cards are also easy to use. All a caller needs to do is dial and access number (local or toll free depending on the phone card), enter a PIN code and place a call to any phone in the world. Many on-line phone cards include features such as speed dial or PIN free dialing which makes it very easy to place a call to any location. In many cases, they also include an on-line call history so a user can track the details for every call made with their phone card. Phone cards are also very portable, they can used from any kind of telephone (mobile, home, hotel, pay-phone or business phone). They can also be used to make calls from nearly any country in the world.

One popular virtual phone card that can be used to make cheap long distance calls from the USA or Canada is offered by Tel3. The Tel3Advantage flex plan is a very popular prepaid calling plan with more than 100,000 frequent users in North America. It is a high quality product that can be used from any kind of phone without changing service providers and has very low rates to any location in the world. It is a very good option for people who travel in North America and want the ability to make cheap international calls from any location.

It is easy to save money on long distance calls from any kind of telephone with prepaid phone cards.

France is a very popular international calling destination from the USA, Canada and other countries. With new technology, low cost international calls can be made to or from France from any country in the world. However, when it comes to international calling, one best option does not fit every situation so we have provided the following review of some popular products that are recognized for both high quality and low cost.

For people who want to call France from the USA or Canada than Tel3 is hard to beat. They offer the Tel3Advantage Flex plan which is essentially a hybrid virtual phone card. Without going into a lot of detail, it can be used with any kind of phone and any existing service provider. Tel3 is also reputable supplier who has been in the prepaid calling business for more than a decade and has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau…..the only firm in this industry with such a rating. They have great service and great rates. They also have a promo going now where new customers can call France from the USA or Canada for as little as 1.4 cents per minute and get up to 643 Free Minutes. Visit cheap calls to France for more details.

For people who want to make low cost international calls to France from other locations we recommend International Phone Cards. We, of course, recommend virtual phone cards that are purchased on-line because it is easier to shop and find the optimum phone card for your situation. On-line phone cards also tend to have lower rates, more features and performance is guaranteed. On-line phone cards can be used to make cheap calls from over 130 countries.

People who want to explore these or other international calling options in more detail should visit a website like Smart Global Call which specializes in low cost options for making calls over land-lines, mobile phones or computer INTERNET connections.

Web Call is a superb product for making cheap international calls using any phone in the world that can receive a call. Due to the name, many people confuse Web Call with PC-to-Phone, VoIP or other INTERNET based calling services but it is much different. The main difference is that calls are not placed over the INTERNET with Web Call, they are made using any kind of phone including cell phones, home phones, business phones or any other phone that can receive a call. In this case, the term Web Call refers to the way the calls are placed. With Web Call there is no need to dial an access number or enter an account number or PIN code when making a call. All a caller needs to do is sign-in to their on-line account and enter the country and phone number they want to call from and the country and phone number they wish to call. After they enter the information they push the call button and the computer connects the two phones…..it is that simple.

Some countries charge a high surcharge on out-bound international calls. International callers in these countries can save a lot of money with Web Call since they they will be paying for an in-bound international call from a low cost, third country not an out-bound call from the country where they are located. The following table shows some examples of the potential savings over typical phone card rates for calls to the USA from some high cost countries. Rates are in USA cents per minute.

A comparison of phone card rates versus Web Call rates on international calls to the USA from some selected countries.

Bahrain: Phone Card Rate 21 cents/min, Web Call Rate 9.7 cents/min
China: Phone Card Rate 11 cents/min, Web Call Rate 2 cents/min
India: Phone Card Rate 11 cents/min, Web Call Rate 5.9 cents/min
Jamaica: Phone Card Rate 17.5 cents/min, Web Call Rate 8.5 cents/min
Jordan: Phone Card Rate 28 cents/min, Web Call Rate 8.6 cents/min
Kazakhstan: Phone Card Rate 55 cents/min, Web Call Rate 7.3 cents/min
Nepal: Phone Card Rate 105 cents/min, Web Call Rate 15.1 cents/min
Nigeria: Phone Card Rate 50 cents/min, Web Call Rate 10.5 cents/min
Syria: Phone Card Rate 112 cents/min, Web Call Rate 13.7 cents/min
UAE: Phone Card Rate 95 cents/min, Web Call Rate 14.7 cents/min

As the information above shows, the savings can be significant. The rates shown are for calls to the USA but Web Call can be used to call any country from any other country. It is a high quality product that can also be used as a phone card to make calls from over 60 countries. However, Web Call has better rates than a phone card and is more convenient to use as long as the caller has access to the INTERNET. Visit Web Call for rates to all countries and information on opening an account. Happy calling.

Tel3 announced recently that they have a new dialer application for iPhone users that will allow them to make direct dialed international long distance calls over the low cost Tel3 network. This application, called the Tel3 Dialer, is a free download that can be used by Tel3 Customers. With this application, users will have the ability to make direct dialed international calls from their iPhone using either the address book, or the recent call history or directly on from the dial pad. People who want to make cheap international calls will no longer need to dial an access number or enter a PIN code or account number before placing a call. Tel3 also has similar applications for other SMART phones. For further information on the iPhone application, visit Tel3 Dialer or call 800 441 0321.

This is a new application but Tel3 is not new to the prepaid calling market. They have been selling prepaid calling services for more than a decade and are the only company in the prepaid calling business with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Their Tel3Advantage prepaid long distance calling plan is one of the most popular plans of its kind in North America with more than 100,000 active customers. It can be used to make cheap domestic and international long distance calls from any phone in Canada or the USA without changing companies. It also has low per minute rates to all locations with no hidden fees or taxes.

On June 30th Tel3Advantage announced new, lower rates on international calls to the following popular destinations. Some rates were lowered by as much as 74% which makes Tel3 the low cost provider for these and other destinations around the world.

Rates on international calls to Antigua & Barbuda were lowered from 14 cents/min to 11.7 cents/min (16%).

Rates to Santa Fe, Argentina were lowered from 2.9 cents/min to 1.9 cents/min (34%).

Rates on international calls to Bolivia were lowered from 11 cents to 8.1 cents/min (26%)

Rates on international calls to Bulgaria were lowered from 8 cents to 3 cents/min (62.5%)

Rates on calls to Cape Verde were lowered from 28 cents to 17.9 cents/min (36%)

Rates on international calls to Guadaloupe were dropped from 13 cents to 3.4 cents/min (74%).

Rates on calls to Jakarta, Indonesia were lowered from 4.5 cents to 2.8 cents/min (38%)

Rates on Calls to Kyrgyzstan were lowered from 15.4 cents to 9.2 cents/min (40%)

Rates on calls to Toluca, Mexico were lowered from 6.5 cents to 1.9 cents/min (71%)

Rates on calls to Norway were lowered from 3 cents to 2 cents/min (33%)

Rates on calls to Palua were dropped from 40 cents to 24.1 cents/min (40%)

Rates on international calls to Sri Lanka were lowered from 18 cents to 10.6 cents/min (41%)

Rates on calls to Thailand were lowered from 5.5 cents to 1.5 cents/min (73%)

Rates on calls to Zambia were lowered from 12 cents to 4 cents/min (67%)

Rates on calls to Zimbabwe were lowered from 10 cents to 6.8 cents/min (32%)

Tel3Advantage is a prepaid calling plan that can be used to make low cost domestic and international long distance from the USA or Canada. It is a high quality call plan that can be used from any kind of telephone (mobile, home or business) and any existing phone service. It offers some of the lowest rates in the industry and has now hidden fees or taxes like many phone card type products. New customers can get free minutes and a 30% discount on all calls for the first 30 days by taking advantage of their current Triple Promo. Visit Tel3Advantage in order to get these rates or call 800 441 o321 and ask for the Triple Promo.

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.