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In many cases, the rates charged on international calls to mobile phones are substantially higher than the rate charged for the same call to a land-line. Therefore, when making international calls, callers should take care and read the fine print so they fully understand the rate charged for making a call to the type of phone they plan to call or they may receive an unpleasant surprise. In most cases, rates on international calls to mobile phones are higher than they are for calls to landlines but this is not always the case. The rate difference varies between countries and service providers so it is best to shop around in order to find the lowest cost product for making calls to the country and type of phone you wish to call.

We did some research on this topic by comparing the rates charged by Tel3Advantage, a popular prepaid calling plan, on international calls to mobile phones and landlines in various countries. We found there were some regional patterns to the data but no consistent rules. The following is a summary of our key observations.

• The rate charged on calls to mobile phones is substantially higher than they would be for the same call to a land-line. This seemed to be a typical pattern. Especially for international calls made to countries located in Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East. However, there were exceptions so callers should check the countries they wish to call before making any conclusions. Some popular locations where the rates charged on international calls to mobile phones are significantly higher than they are to landlines: Brazil, France, Italy, Mexico and the UK. For example, a call to a mobile phone in Italy from the USA costs 14.7 cents per-minute while a call to a land-line costs 1.8 cents per-minute.

• In some cases, the rate charged on calls to mobile phones were the same as those charged to landlines. Many of these locations were in Asia but there were many exceptions. We discovered the following popular destinations: Bermuda, China, India and Thailand.

• We also found cases where international calls to mobile phones where cheaper than calls to landlines. This is true on calls to the following popular destinations: Cuba, Egypt, Hong Kong, Singapore, Syria and Uzbekistan. In most cases, the difference in cost is small. For example, the rate charged for an international call to a mobile phone in Egypt is 9.4 cents per-minute while the charge for the same call to a land-line is 9.8 cents.

International callers should shop around for the best deal when deciding on a product to use for making cheap international calls. They should recognize that rates can vary significantly between countries and the type of phone they wish to call. It may be prudent to use one product for making calls to cell phones and another product to make calls to landlines. There are a wide selection of phone cards and other prepaid calling products to choose from so most callers can find substantial savings by shopping for the product that best fits their needs.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The summer travel season is fast approaching and many Americans will be heading to Europe for vacation despite the weak economy. If fact, there are some good deals to be had on air travel, hotels and rental cars because of the weak economy in most locations around the world. We were recently in Moscow and paid ½ the rate we paid 6 months ago for the same hotel room.

Most people will want to call home a few times during a trip abroad so it is a good idea to carry a phone card. We suggest purchasing a phone card before you leave home because you have more time to shop (on-line) and choose the right phone card for your trip. You will likely find a better quality card at a better price than if you wait and purchase one abroad at a hotel, airport or other location frequented by tourists. Most on-line international phone card merchants provide customers with an on-line account. This is a handy feature for travelers because they can access their account via the internet from any location in the world to find a local access number, add funds or make other changes to their account. Many on-line phone cards also include other handy features like Speed Dial, PIN free dialing and call history that make international calling much easier.

We have a couple of phone card recommendations for people who want to make cheap calls to the USA or other locations from Europe. The first phone card we would recommend is a new card called Solaris. It has high user ratings for quality and has a wide range of local and toll free access numbers in every European country. It can be used to make cheap international calls from over 100 countries so it has very wide coverage and is ideal for people who plan to visit several countries during a trip. It also has no maintenance or connection fee and some of the lowest rates on international calls. Another high quality phone card is Continental. It can be used to make cheap calls from over 60 countries. The continental card comes with several features like speed dial, call history and PIN free dialing which makes it very convenient to use. Smart Global Call Phone Cards International sells these and other high quality calling cards.

People who want to make cheap calls to Europe have a wider range of options. Rates are generally cheaper on international calls from the USA or Canada to Europe than they are from Europe to the USA or Canada. Therefore, it is cheaper to make calls that originate in North America if possible. This is not always possible so a high quality phone card is the next best option.

People new to Phone Cards often find it difficult and confusing to shop for them. Even veteran phone card users often get confused because calling card carriers have been very creative in devising hidden fees and other tricks so they can advertise extremely low per-minute rates and still make a profit. We have tried to list, define and explain the technical terms here so a calling card shopper can at least make an informed purchase and have a basic understanding of the market.

First, we would suggest purchasing calling cards from websites where all of the fees are fully disclosed in an easy to read format and where calling cards are rated by users. These sites do exist because there are still honest calling card vendors, carriers and marketers (web sites like Smart Global Call Phone Cards International display customer ratings for all of the phone cards they sell). The following are some other items to consider when choosing a phone card.

• 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 (land lines). Calls made to cell phones often have higher rates. Also, the advertised rates do not include calling card fees or taxes that can significantly increase the cost of a call.

• 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 calling 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 calling cards will have all or most of these added fees and others will not have any of them.

• Calling cards will also have different rounding or billing increments. These are often in 1, 3 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 lower billing increment is better.

• Calling 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, calling card fees do not start until the calling card is used the first time. Many companies offer calling cards in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50 and even $100. We recommend trying a small denomination card ($5 to $10) before making a large purchase. Also, it is generally better to buy several small denomination cards than to purchase one with a big denomination.

• Calling card call quality 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.

• 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 for using a toll free access number.

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

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

• It is a good idea to purchase calling cards from vendors that have 24/7 customer service. If nothing else you may have a question.

So, how to use this information? There are a few things to consider. First, try to compare calling cards on the same basis. When calling card rates are adjusted for the above mentioned fees, taxes and 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 or has extremely poor quality is worthless to the user. Any money spent on a purchase is lost.

There are a few hybrid phone cards or prepaid long distance carriers like Tel3Advantage. These are popular with frequent international callers since they offer low rates, high call quality and convenience. The Tel3Advantage Flex Plan also comes with all the bells and whistles at no additional cost. The Tel3 plan is also one of the most honest plans we reviewed. They feature a one-minute rounding interval and have no hidden fees or taxes. They also have a wide network of local access numbers in North America. They also have a toll free access number but charge an extra 1-cent per-minute for using toll free access.

Consumers have become wise to many of the hidden fees and tricks discussed above and, as a result, there are several newer calling cards on the market that have high call quality at reasonable rates. They also tend to have minimal added fees so the advertised rate per minute is closer to the actual rate charged when the card is used. Many of these are hybrid calling cards that are really a virtual calling plan with features like PIN-less dialing, online call history, speed dial and a large network of local access numbers. They are also re-chargeable for customer convenience but also because calling card vendors are trying to build brand loyalty. By offering low cost, quality and convenience they hope to retain customers. It seems that some calling card carriers have rightly concluded that it is better to make a little money off a large number of satisfied users over the long haul than to make some quick money ripping off a few customers one time. Alas, the free market even works with respect to calling cards.

Most people know how to use a prepaid phone card by now. However, a few people have never used one so this post is for their benefit. Most of the time, prepaid phone cards are used by dialing what is called an access number, a special phone number, which allows a user to access the phone card service providers system. Some service providers have a network of access numbers and others have only one access number, these can be toll free numbers or what are referred to as local access numbers requiring users to pay the call. In any case, prepaid phone cards are used by first accessing the service providers system.

The following are the steps typically required when using a prepaid phone card.

Step 1: Dial a toll free or local access number in order to access the service providers system. Access numbers should be provided when the phone card is purchased.

Step 2: The caller identifies himself or herself to the system. This can be done by entering a special series of numbers provided with the phone card providers system, called a PIN code, or in the case of PIN Free phone cards the system will automatically ID the caller using caller ID technology.

Step 3: The caller dials the number they wish to call. Phone cards from the North America will require the caller to enter the prefix 011 when making overseas phone calls or the prefix 1 when making a domestic long distance phone call.

As indicated above, the mechanics of using a phone card are simple. However, there are a few things to consider when shopping for a phone card. For example, do you really want to enter a complex PIN code each time you place a call. This may not be a nuisance if you only intend to make a couple of calls but if you plan to use the phone card for multiple calls or for an extended period-of-time than a PIN free phone card should be considered. It is interesting to note that phone cards from major telecommunication companies like MCI or AT&T often do not have PIN Free Dialing or other features. These phone cards typically charge high rates and have good call quality but there are phone cards with similar call quality that are more appropriate for long-term use.

Another important consideration when making a phone card purchase is the access number network. Be sure that the phone card being considered has an access number in the country where you plan to use the card. This is often a problem when a phone card is purchased in the USA and used overseas. Most phone cards have a limited range of coverage. They can only be used to place calls from certain countries and, in some cases, they can only be used to make calls to certain locations. Be sure to purchase cards that have the required coverage.

Another important consideration is the location and type of access numbers used by a phone card. Many phone cards charge extra for using toll free access numbers and these extra charges are usually not included in the advertised rates. It is usually cheaper to use a local access number so check to see if one is available in the area where you plan to use a phone card.

Phone cards are relatively simple products to use but even simple products require some thought and investigation before making a purchase. A virtual phone card like Tel3Advantage should be consider when making calls from North America because it offers high call quality and a full range of features including PIN free dialing and an on-line call history. It is a popular product for people who routinely make international phone calls from North America and want to save money and still have quality, convenience and flexibility.

The Utility Consumers’ Action Network (UCAN) reported on Monday, March 9, 2009, that average phone users are spending far more on long distance service than they, or the regulators, realize. This finding was reported in an article posted on the UCAN website entitled Consumers Overspending on Telecom Bills. In the article, the author summarizes the results of a recent survey conducted by UCAN on 700 “relatively savvy consumers” in the San Diego, California area. The following quote from the report summarizes the conclusions.

“According to the survey, long-distance charges have increased on average to 55 cents a minute, and just 8% of land line customers are paying less than 10 cents a minute. The discrepancy between the actual usage charges and what consumers pay is traced to the complex — and often confusing — plans that are used by many consumers.”

The results from this survey suggests that if consumers use prepaid long distance than they could save up to 96.5% on long distance service with no sacrifice to call quality or convenience. This conclusion is based on published rates for the Tel3Advantage prepaid long distance plan. Consumers can use Tel3Advantage without changing their existing phone service provider and it can be used with any kind of telephone. Up to 10 different phones can be included in one account, so, one prepaid plan can be used with an individual’s home, cell and business phones without changing anything. As a result, users could save over 96% on their long distance phone service with no pain. A prepaid calling plan is also a great way to budget and minimize phone expenses since consumers can purchase minutes in small denominations and they can be used over a long period of time. A plan like the flex plan offered by Tel3Advantage has no monthly maintenance fee or other hidden costs so consumers only pay for the minutes they actually use.

The rates charged for calls using the Tel3Advantage flex plan are dirt cheap. Long distance calls to destinations in the USA and Canada cost only 1.9 cents per minute. International rates vary by country but rates to more than 200 countries are less than 10 cents per minute. Compare these rates with those reported in the UCAN study and it is obvious that the average consumer can save a lot of money by changing to prepaid long distance phone service.

In today’s economy many people are trying to control expenditures and one way to do so is to use prepaid services. With prepaid services a consumer can purchase a predetermined amount of a service and the service will automatically stop when the amount purchased is depleted. Therefore, it is very easy to control expenses and impossible to over run a budget.

Prepaid long distance phone service in the form of prepaid phone cards has been popular with students, expatriates and travelers for a number of years. This is an especially popular option with those who want to make frequent and cheap international calls. However, now there appears to be more interest from mainstream users since prepaid long distance is a great way to budget phone expenses. There is a wide variety of options which range from very cheap, plastic phone cards purchased at local convenience stores to relatively high quality virtual calling plans sold on the INTERNET. The market currently offers an option to fit any budget and fill any need. For example, Tel3Advantage has been offering low cost prepaid long distance phone service to consumers since 1994 but they have recently started offering Tel3 for Business and Tel3 Mobile. These products contain special features that fill a need in these niche markets while providing them with low cost prepaid phone service. Tel3 services are especially attractive to people or businesses that want to budget long distance expenses while reducing costs and not sacrificing quality or service. Tel3Advantage customers can budget long distance expenses in two ways. First, they can prepay for a fixed amount of long distance service. Second, they can monitor their usage through a call history which is included in their on-line account. Tel3Advantage prepaid long distance has made it easy for people to budget and control long distance phone expenses.

There are also a wide variety of international phone cards which come in all shapes and sizes. These are very useful for budgeting expenses because they also come in a wide variety of denominations. It is very easy to find a denomination to fit any budgeting need. For example, if you want to spend a maximum of $10 per week on long distance calls simply purchase a phone card with a $10 face value each week. Phone cards are typically sold in $3, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 denominations so there is one for every budget. They can also be conveniently purchased and safely held in an on-line account these days so phone cards offer convenience, flexibility, low cost and the ability to budget expenses.

More and more online merchants are offering international phone cards with PIN free access. These cards can be used to make calls without dialing an account number or PIN code. In order to use the PIN free dialing feature a user needs to register the phone numbers they plan to make calls from. Then a user simply dials an access number from one of their registered phones and places a call without dialing a PIN code. Making international calls is much easier because the numbers a user must enter is minimized. Making calls is much easier, faster and the chance of entering incorrect numbers is reduced.

Phone cards with PIN free access are becoming more common because they are much easier to use and many consumers will no longer purchase or even consider phone cards which require the entry of PIN codes. Phone card marketers have taken notice and are offering more cards with the PIN Free Access features. This use to be a feature only offered by premium prepaid long distance plans like Tel3Advantage but it is now offered by many low cost competitors.

How many times have you purchased a phone card with great rates to one location but you used it to call another location and found it to be outrageously expensive? This is a common problem with many international phone cards. They tend to be regional or country specific. Either, they can only be used to call to or from certain countries or locations or they tend to their rates are country or region specific. To get around these limitations, many international callers use a high quality prepaid calling plan like Tel3Advantage which has good rates to most international locations but there is another way.

Some phone card marketers like Smart Global Call International Phone Cards provide their customer a free balance transfer feature. Using this option a customer can transfer an unused balance from one phone card to another. This handy feature has several possible uses. Some of these are listed below:

• A traveler purchases a phone card to call the USA from Italy but moves to Moscow, Russia and finds that the card does not work. Using the balance transfer feature the remaining balance can simply be transferred to another card that can be used to make calls from Moscow.
• A caller purchases a phone card to call a friend in Brazil. The caller than wants to call another friend in Japan but finds that the card can not be used to call Japan or has lousy rates. No problem, using balance transfer the remaining calling card balance can be transferred to another card with good rates on calls to Japan.
• Another use is to save money by taking advantage of special deals. Smart Global Call usually offers one or two of their phone cards at a 10% discount. A shopper can purchase one of these phone cards and than transfer the balance to another phone card, saving 10% on any phone card.

This is a handy feature that covers a wide range of possibilities since Smart Global Call markets more than 30 different phone cards that can be used to make calls to or from more than 230 countries. Saving money on international calls has never been easier.

If you plan to make international calls from North America this Valentine’s Day than you should take advantage of this special offer from Tel3Advantage. They started their Valentine’s Day Triple savings offer on February 10, 2008. This special offer will last through February 20, 2008. During this special Triple Savings offer period, people who sign-up for the Tel3Advantage Flex Plan will save 30% on their calls for the first 30 days and get a sign-up bonus of up to $9. In order to qualify for this special bonus offer, new customers need to sign-up on this page Tel3Advantage or call 800 441 0321 and mention the word “triple”.

The Tel3Advantage Flex Plan is one of the most popular prepaid calling plans in North America with over 100,000 customers. Tel3 is based in Miami, Florida and they have been in the prepaid long distance business for over 14 years (since 1994). Visit Smart Global Call for more information on Tel3 or other options for making low cost international calls.

Many people use phone cards and other prepaid calling products in order to save money on international calls. In general, this is a good idea since phone cards are convenient and offer substantially lower rates than those offered by conventional long distance service providers. However, purchasing phone cards can be tricky and buyers should pay attention to a variety of details when making a purchase or they can end up paying a substantially higher rate per call than expected. These details include the following.

1. Charges for using different types of access numbers used to make calls (local or toll free) can vary significantly between phone cards.

2. Extra phone card fees like connection fees, maintenance fees, service charges and taxes vary significantly between phone cards.

3. Most phone cards offer better rates on calls to specific countries or regions of the world.

4. The rates on calls to specific kinds of phones (land-lines or cell phones) can vary significantly.

The last item (above) is often overlooked by shoppers. It is generally more expensive to make calls to mobile phones so many phone card marketers list the per-minute cost of making calls to low cost house phones and list the cost to cell phones separately or in the fine print. Many shoppers incorrectly assume that a service provider that offers a low rate on calls to land-lines in a specific country also has a low rate to cell phones. This is not correct as is illustrated below for an international call to Mexico from the USA.

A typical phone card rate on a call to a house phone in Mexico from the USA is around 2 to 3 cents per minute. The same call to a cell phone in Mexico varies from about 12 to 35 cents per minute. Companies like Penny Talk, advertise a low 2 cent per-minute rate on calls to land-lines in Mexico but charge 31 cents per-minute on calls to cell phones. They also charge a $0.49 connection fee for each call and a $0.99 per-month service fee per account. Tel3 Advantage does not charge a connection fee or service fee but a call to a land-line in Mexico City is 2 cents per-minute while the same call to a cell phone is 20 cents per-minute.

As the illustration shows, the rate charged on calls to cell phones varies more between companies than the rate charged on calls to house phones. This is generally true so shoppers who plan to make international calls to cell phones should pay particular attention when making a purchase.

There are a variety of options for making low cost international phone calls between North America and Europe. Some people make cheap or even free international calls over the Internet using PC-to-Phone or VoIP services while others use phone cards or other prepaid options. Internet based options are a good low cost choice for some people but call quality is often poor and special equipment and an INTERNET connection are required to make calls so they are not as convenient as using a cell phone or land-line. Prepaid options like phone cards have remained a popular choice because they can be used with any phone so they offer convenience, flexibility and low cost. Phone Cards are also ideal for short-term use since they can be purchased in small increments and they do not require a contract or other long term obligation. However, there are many phone cards on the market and selecting a phone card featuring both good call quality and honest rates can be a challenge.

To avoid these pitfalls some people choose premium phone cards like those offered by AT&T, MCI or Sprint. These tend to have high call quality, wide coverage and they advertise honest rates with almost no hidden fees or taxes. However, the rates they charge are astronomical when compared to other, lesser known, premium phone cards. For example, a call to Western Europe from the USA using an AT&T phone card will cost from 20 to 45 cents per minute depending on the country called. The AT&T card includes toll free access and uses a one-minute rounding interval but their rates are extremely high when compared to other premium quality phone cards like Bizon. Using the Bizon phone card a caller can make the same call to Western Europe for 3 cents per minute or less. The Bizon phone card has similar call quality and also uses a one-minute rounding interval. It does charge an extra 1 cent per-minute for toll free access and applies a 15% surcharge but even with these extra charges calls are much cheaper than those charged by AT&T. The Bizon phone card can also be used to make low cost calls from Western Europe to North America. It is an excellent choice for people who want to make high
quality low cost calls between North America and Europe.

Another option for making low cost calls from North America and Europe is Tel3Advantage. It also using a one-minute rounding interval and has no hidden fees or taxes. Tel3 does charge an extra one cent per minute for using a toll free access number but it has a very wide network of local access numbers that can be used with no additional charge. Rates to call Western Europe from North America with Tel3Advantage are 2 to 3 cents per-minute depending on the country called.

When shopping for prepaid calling products consumers should use the same common sense they use when shopping for other products. They should be suspicious of those advertising super low rates since these products often have low quality or, in the case of phone cards, have significant hidden fees and charges that pump-up their rates. Also, extremely high priced options are often not worth the money. As with most products, there are moderately priced phone cards that offer high quality so consumers can get good value for thweir money.

Phone cards have come a long way since there introduction in Italy in 1975. Many 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 which make them an attractive option for long term savings. Consumers who purchase phone cards at supermarkets or convenience stores may be paying a higher cost than necessary for making calls and may also be missing many features that are commonly provided free-of-charge with on-line calling cards.

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

· PIN Free dialing is becoming a common feature with many on-line prepaid phone cards. It allows a caller to register phone numbers so they do not need to enter a PIN code when making calls from a registered phone. These cards can still be used to make calls from an unregistered phone by entering the PIN code associated with the card when making a call.
· Many virtual phone cards feature a permanent PIN so the code does not change each time the phone card is refilled or re-charged with money. These permanent PIN phone cards are typically stored in an on-line account that can be accessed by a user via their on-line account.
· Most permanent PIN phone cards also allow an optional automatic recharge function. Many users find this is an attractive feature since it assures that they will not run out of funds during a call and the card is always available for use.
· There are several on-line phone cards or other prepaid calling products that feature an on-line call history. Many long term users rely on this feature to track the details, including cost, of each phone call made with the phone card. 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 saves a lot of time when making international phone calls and also minimizes dialing errors.
· Some on-line merchants allow customers to transfer funds between phone cards. This is also a handy feature for users who call to or from multiple locations.
· 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.

There are virtual phone cards or prepaid calling plans like Tel3Advantage that offer 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 Smart Cell Phones. When using Tel3 Mobile, users do not need to dial an access number or PIN code. They simply dial the international call and their call is automatically routed over the low cost Tel3 network. Tel3 also offers a business calling plan with many on-line tools tailored made for business users. These can be used by business managers to budget and monitor expenses in real time.

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

There are a variety of low cost international long distance calling products on the market today but each has been designed to fit the needs of a specific group of consumers. Marketers and product developers have tried to broaden the appeal of their products but all have certain limitations. The purpose of this article is to review the types of international calling products on the market today and provide a brief overview of their strengths and limitations so consumers can make better choices.

One product does not fit the needs of all. People who are PC savvy and have high speed INTERNET connections may choose to use PC to PC or PC to Phone service or VoIP technology while others may want the convenience and flexibility of a phone card. Most people only make occasional international calls while others make multiple international phone calls each day. Therefore, some people are willing to sacrifice quality and convenience in order to save money while others are willing to pay a bit more for higher quality, convenience and flexibility. Consumers need to understand the limitations of each product type so they can make informed choices.

• Traditional Long Distance – Forget using traditional long distance from your home phone, cell phone or office phone unless you only make one or two short international calls each year and you don’t care about wasting money. There are products on the market today which offer the same quality at a fraction of the cost.
• VoIP Phone Service – This may be a good option for saving money on home phone service but it is not the best option for saving money on international calls. There is a monthly charge for VoIP service and in most cases international long distance calls cost extra. The cost for making international long distance calls with VoIP is typically cheaper than the rates charged by traditional long distance providers but there cheaper options that are more convenient. A high speed internet connection is required for VoIP and most service providers require a long term contract. VoIP service providers typically charge extra fees for set-up, activation, early termination and some even charge for equipment.
• PC-to-PC or PC-to-Phone Service - This service is used to make calls over the internet from a personal computer. A PC-to-PC service like Skype is required along with equipment like a head-set and micro phone. PC-to-PC calls are typically free so this is a very cheap option but it is not very convenient since both parties need access to a PC and an internet connection. Calls can be made from PC-to-Phone but they are not free. This is more convenient but the caller still needs access to a PC and an internet connection. There are other methods for making international calls that cost about the same as PC-to-Phone but are more convenient and typically offer better quality.
• Phone Cards – Prepaid phone cards have ultimate convenience since they can be used to make cheap international calls from almost any phone (cell, home, business, pay phone or even VoIP). The cost for making international calls vary from being dirt cheap to expensive depending on the card used and the location or type of phone called. Calls to cell phones are generally more expensive than calls to land lines. Shopping and comparing phone cards can be complex because fee structures vary along with quality and usability. Most phone cards provide good rates to a few locations but poor rates to others. Shop for phone cards that offer good rates to the locations you call the most. Also, check for access number availability in the locations where you plan to use the phone card. Purchase phone cards from a reputable phone card supplier that fully discloses all fees and charges in an easy to understand format.
• Prepaid Long Distance – These are sometimes call dial-around plans. Prepaid long distance plans like Tel3Advantage are popular with frequent international callers since they offer a variety of useful features, low rates, high call quality and the convenience of a phone card. Tel3 Advantage also does not charge hidden fees or taxes so users actually pay the advertised rate for each call. Features include on-line account management, on-line call history with a complete record of each call, speed dial and PIN free dialing. Tel3 allows users to register up to 10 telephone numbers in each account. Calls made from these phone numbers can be made without dialing an account number or PIN code. Tel3Advantage has a wide network of local access numbers but can only be used to make calls from the USA and Canada.
• International Call Back Phone Service – This is a good method for making low cost international calls from almost any country. Many countries outside of North America, Europe and the developed countries in Asia have very high tariffs on international long distance calls. International callback long distance uses a clever method to avoid these tariffs by placing calls through long distance providers located in low cost third countries. There are at least three common methods used to trigger or place calls so potential users should conduct further research to determine the best method for their location and situation.

  As summarized above, there are a variety of technologies available on the market today for making low cost international phone calls. Multiple companies’ market products using these technologies and some of these products are high quality and others are not. Consumers should shop and be smart about purchases. It is usually best to try a product by making a small purchase before making a large purchase or enter a long term contract. Most reputable VoIP providers will offer a 30 day (or longer) money back guarantee and most phone card providers will offer cards in small denominations so consumers can try the product before making a large purchase or commitment. It is best to stay away from those who don’t.

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.

With the proliferation of cell phones many people question whether the traditional home phone is really necessary any more.  Many households maintain a home phone even though they have a cell phone family plan where all members of the household have a cell phone and individual phone number.  For many, keeping a traditional home phone is a sensible option since it is cheaper than paying for cell phone air time for receiving calls, calling toll free numbers or making local calls.  It may also be necessary for emergencies (911 calls) or for alarm systems or other monitoring devices.  However, traditional long distance phone service is likely not necessary or even an economical option. 

In most cases using prepaid long distance is a far cheaper option than using traditional long distance from the phone company.  Prepaid long distance like that offered by Tel3Advantage is very convenient and costs nothing if it is not used.  So consumers only pay for calls they actually make at dirt cheap rates with no taxes or added fees.  Tel3 only charges 1.9 cents per minute for long distance calls made to North American (USA and Canada) destinations.  This means that a consumer can use more than 500 minutes for a mere $10.  Rates are slightly higher for international calls depending on the location called but they are up to 95% cheaper than phone company rates.  It is also easy to open an account and there is nothing to change, it can be used from any phone or with any existing phone service.  An account can be opened in a couple of minutes by visiting the Tel3Advantage website or calling 800 441 0321.