Whether you're here or abroad, there's no better way to get in touch with loved ones and friends than using prepaid calling cards.
Postpaid phone users might argue that going prepaid is inconvenient, because it requires you to keep reloading or buying new cards. But before you make any judgments, here's a rundown of advantages of using prepaid calling cards and how they compare with others.
Why Use Prepaid Calling Cards? Several reasons:
1) You no longer need to rummage for quarters or tokens (and find out you don't have any!)
2) You can say goodbye to operator-assisted collect calls and hassling your friends with your call fees.
3) You don't have to deal with hotel surcharges for the calls you make while travelling abroad anymore.
4) Per-call or per-minute rates are actually a lot cheaper.
5) You can manage your call times better and make sure that you don't get too carried away with your international conversations.
Prepaid cards are self-explanatory. They are call cards previously loaded with a particular monetary value -- $5, $10, $20, $100, etc. -- which you can consume to phone anybody at any place. A $20 card, for instance, often affords you 100 minutes of talk time, depending on the prepaid card producer. Some other prepaid calling cards can also do more than just give you ample talk times, like a limited connection to the Internet.
Prepaid calling cards may either be operated via a dialling code or via a swipe system. You can purchase such cards as they are, or charge them to your credit card (for reloadable types). The only risk you face by relying on a PIN code is that other people may gain access to your important numbers and use your call times without permission. But this can be circumvented by keeping your vital codes in a safe place.
What Prepaid Calling Cards Are the Best?
With the multitude of prepaid calling cards that are available in the market today, it's easy to fall prey to the frauding types. To make sure that you're getting good value for your money, buy only from reputable brands. To determine which is the best, you can read reviews about them on the Internet; just don't make the mistake of getting such reviews from the prepaid calling card companies respective websites, because, well, no smart company would post ill reviews about itself on its own home.
Ask around for referrals. If you notice that a certain card seems to be more disseminated than the others, ask the seller about it and its sellability. If the card is his or her most sellable brand, then it's likely that many people are satisfied with its service.
Ultimately, the only way you can fully find out about a certain prepaid calling card brand is to try it out for yourself. Prepaid calling cards offer a lot of advantages than disadvantages, but if you don't get the right one, then it would be a waste of your money. Read up first before buying.
Vanessa Arellano Doctor
