International Phone Cards

There are also a variety of options available within the prepaid international phone card industry. Some cards are restricted to the country of purchase in terms of originating calls. Others allow the user to call from a number of countries based on reciprocal agreements among carriers. If you are traveling, be sure the countries you are calling from and to have such agreements in place.

When going from country to country and using your card, in addition to making sure there are reciprocal agreements in place, you will need to determine what the charges are to call FROM each country TO each country. These costs can vary widely and are based on the agreements noted above. Remember that calling from country to country is a complex process, usually involving charges from several different sources. By knowing the charge information up front, you can manage your calling habits and maximize the already impressive savings these cards offer.

Like regular prepaid phone cards, international phone cards can also be prepaid and rechargeable or billed monthly, like a credit card. You will also want to check into surcharges. When you select a card, for example, you will want to check out whether there are fixed per-call surcharges on some types of calls. You will also want to know the increment charges; if all calls are charged on a minute base, costs for very short calls can really add up.

Ask about monthly fees and expiration dates that could leave you with unused (and unusable) minutes that you have already paid for. You will also want to be familiar with the recharging process (especially if you will be traveling out of the US) and with how long it takes to add more minutes to your card. In some cases, you might get such a great buy on a prepaid that you will want to buy more than one to avoid getting caught short. Prepaid phone card values generally run from about $5.00 to $300. Make sure you know both the amount you have purchased and the cost per minute. Again, remember to find out what the cost-per-minute charges are wherever you are calling from!