How to select the Right Calling Card
In three easy steps learn how to select the right calling card for your requirement. This will save you money and put you on the right track.
- Identifying your needs.
- Understanding your options.
- Making a Selection.
Identifying Your Needs
There are some important things to consider when identifying your needs:
Traveling – Do you need a calling card for when you travel, or is it for use in the United States?
Duration – How long do you think your calls will be? Under 30 minutes or over an hour?
Frequency – Is it a one time thing where you need to make an international call, or do you frequently make international calls?
Destination – Where are you calling?
Connection Quality – do you need high connection quality, or are you simply looking for the cheapest way to place a call?
Business Use – Do you plan to use the card for business or personal use?
Recharge – Are you looking for a phone card that can be recharged?
Understanding Your Options
You have identified your needs, it is important to understand your options. Make sure you read all of the details of the calling card before you purchase it. Many companies are very mean and add unforeseen fees. Resulting in a one time use from the card, expiring the minutes.
Fees - Calling cards displaying low rates tend to have that have fees associated with them as way to make up for the low rates. If you are someone who frequently makes international calls and regularly uses a card, then selecting a card with no fees would provide great benefit. While the rates may be higher, you won't have to pay a connection fee or almost a dollar in maintenance fees.
Minute Rounding - Minute rounding is another tactic calling card companies have designed to seek the most amount of money from their customers. Most calling card use 1 minute rounding.
Access Numbers - Many calling cards also provide local access numbers that will supple lower rates per minute. Like in the United States, a local access number in a country will provide lower rates then the toll free number.
Business Use - Calling cards are a great way for small business and home business to reduce their international long distance spending. Many calling cards on the market today also offer advanced features. Often these types of calling cards are referred to as dial around long distance services.
Common advanced dial around features include:
- Speed Dial
- Call Back
- PIN-less dialing
- Detailed calling records
- Rechargeable
- Automatic account recharge
- International Access numbers
- No fees associated
Recharges - Recharges are great for people frequently using their card. It eliminates the hassle of having purchase a new card. Turn the auto account recharge feature on for your card; never have to bother with adding funds to your account. It can be done automatically.
Making the Selection
There are calling cards released from major carriers such as AT&T, MCI, IDT, Verizon, etc. Because they are name brand cards does not mean they the best. Often name brand cards offer more expensive rates per minute because you are paying a premium for the name. Calling cards offered from smaller carriers are often better alternatives to name brand cards. Having a smaller advertising budget allows them lower their rates. Large companies like AT&T must regain several million spent in advertising costs over the year and as a result pass expensive rates to their customers.
Selecting the right calling card for your needs should be a low involvement decision, however should require some thought to make sure you are getting an adequate product. The best way to find out about a good product is from someone that can give a testimony of its service.
