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What is Calling Card?
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Calling card is a small card used to pay for telephone services instead of cash.
The most common type of telephone cards involves prepaid credit in which the card is purchased with a specific balance - $5, $10, $20, $100, etc. — which you can consume to phone anybody at any place and when your balance is over you simply buy a new one.
A $10 card, for instance, often affords you 120 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.
There are also standard or non-prepaid calling cards that provide a possibility to charge calls to a specific credit account set up for the purpose. Such cards require a PIN number. Calling cards can focus on calling to certain countries or regions and have specific features such as the ability to be recharged, pinless dial, speed dial and more. |
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How does Calling Card works?
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Upon purchasing a phone card from any provider you will receive an email or cellphone message providing you with a local or toll-free access number, PIN number and a customer service number. You can simply call the toll-free access number, enter your PIN and then dial the phone number of the person you are calling. If you are a new customer, some customer support team will call you to verify your order.
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Advantages of Calling Cards
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Prepaid calling cards were introduced in the 1970’s in Italy. Now, these calling cards are widely used by most people in all parts of the world.
- Prepaid calling cards can let you save money, since it provides low cost. It is truly beneficial compared to standard credit phone cards. Since credit phone cards typically provides different rates at different time of the day, so this type of cards charges differently and can even cost you much higher. While prepaid calling cards offers a set of per minute rate.
- Using prepaid calling card is so simple and easy. All you have to do is dial a toll free access number, dial in your PIN number, and then dial the number you would like to call. With most prepaid calling cards you are informed with the available call time that you can still make use of when making a call. Prepaid calling cards are very useful and convenient. If in case, you need to make a call, all you need to do is use your prepaid calling card and you can make a call from any regular phone, cellular phone and even pay phone.
- Moreover Calling card is the easiest, simplest, and cheapest way to make international calls. You can use your calling card at any time worldwide. Calling card is tiny and portable, so on the road a calling card is the best option. It is almost a must-have when traveling internationally or domestically.
- You always know what you’re paying at the very moment of a talk. Now there is no need to look at your watch while making a call in order not to waste a huge sum of money, because most reputable card companies will tell you how much you have used at the beginning and at the end of each call.
- Many calling cards allow you to dial several numbers in a single moment (calling card session); to listen to the options or read card directions for determining if this is available. This can save you money in some cases.
- Moreover, many calling cards are decorated with regional, national, event-specific, or other interesting imagery and advertising. So, card collecting has been a popular global hobby since the 1990s and calling cards have become popular collectibles.
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What to know when buying a Calling Card?
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- Name of the company providing ,not just selling, the phone service
- The local number or the toll-free number you will need reach the company’s business and technical assistance office.
- The instructions necessary to activate and use the card.
- Rate Comparison - Most long distance carriers offer prepaid phone cards with a special rate for a given country or region of the world. Tip - Use the Internet to search for the best phone card for your home country. Several web sites, like www.zaptel.com , offer rate comparisons to help make your decision easier.
- Connect Charge - Many phone cards charge a fee ranging from $.49 to $2.00 upon initial connection of a call, allowing them to offer a lower rate per minute. Tip - If your calls are generally longer than 15 minutes, you could benefit from a phone card with a connect charge and lower rate per minute.
- Billing Increments - Are calls rounded to the nearest second, minute, or three minutes? Tip - Look for a card that rounds your calls to the nearest minute or less. Otherwise, you may be charged for a longer call than you actually made.
- Expiration Date - Does the card expire? If so, when? Will you have enough time to use the full value of the card before it expires? Tip - Cards typically have 3 or 6 month expirations, sometimes 1 year. Look for longer expirations, or purchase a lower face value card to be sure that you will use it up before it expires.
- Customer Satisfaction - Were previous customers happy with the card? Tip - Purchase your phone cards from a reputable source. Ask retailers if customers are pleased with the card. If purchasing on the Internet, visit sites that offer Customer Ratings and Feedback
- Service Fees - Is there a monthly or weekly service fee taken off the card balance? If so, when- at first use or on the 30th day of every month after first use? Tip - If there are fees but the rate is still good, consider buying a lower face value card so you can use it up before the service fee is deducted.
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Where to buy a Calling Card?
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Prepaid phone cards, also named prepaid calling cards, prepaid international phone cards are fast selling out from convenience stores, supermarkets and hundreds of websites online.
If you are buying Calling Cards online, please refer our Top Calling Cards section. We have provided important information and ratings for the various Domestic and International Calling Cards.
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Prepaid Calling Card Checklist
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A summary of things to check for when purchasing a calling card.
- Is the calling card company a reputed or reliable one?
- How much am I paying for a minute of talk time?
- If the card is for a number of units, does the company define a unit as one minute or some other measure of time?
- Will I be billed for anything other than the time I spend talking? Are there any additional taxes or surcharges or maintenance or connection fee?
- Am I familiar with the card? If not, buy only small dollar amount cards until I am sure the service meets my needs.
- Will the card expire, and if so, when?
- Does the company’s access number work from the area the card will be used? Is the local or toll-free telephone number for calling the company printed on the card?
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