With summer travel season near many people are planning trips. Some are planning international trips and are likely thinking about how they might stay in touch while on vacation. International cell phones are a very good option for emergency use while on an overseas trip. Friends, family and business associates can easily make contact in the event of an emergency at home and it is very convenient means of keeping in touch. There are companies that offer international cell phone rentals and it is possible to rent mobile phones at many international destinations. Most rental companies charge a nominal daily fee for renting a phone even if no calls are made. However, they charge a pretty hefty rate for incoming as well as outgoing calls. Most people do not want to spend several hundred dollars on communication services while on vacation so, for these people, an international cell phone is great for emergency use but their cheaper options for making calls home to chat.

The cheapest option for making international calls while traveling are international phone cards. These offer convenience and low cost. Prepaid phone cards can be purchased before leaving home and they can be used to budget communication expenses while on a trip. They can typically be used from almost any telephone and rates on calls are only a few cents per minute versus up to a few dollars per minute for international cell phones. Phone cards are not as convenient as an international cell phone but who wants to waste time talking on the phone while on vacation.

Consumers who purchase phone cards at supermarkets or convenience stores may be missing a lot of these features and may also be paying a higher rate for calls since it is very easy to shop and compare rates and features on-line. Many high quality phone card websites offer free search features which makes it very easy to find and compare phone cards from any location in the world. Phone cards can be safely purchased on-line and they are safely and conveniently stored in an on-line customer account.

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

• PIN Free dialing has become a common feature with many virtual phone cards. It allows a caller to register phone numbers so they do not need to enter a special code when making calls from a registered phone. The registered phone numbers can be conveniently edited in the customer’s on-line account.

• Many virtual phone cards feature a permanent PIN so the code does not change each time the phone card is re-charged or purchased. These permanent PIN phone cards are typically stored in an on-line account that can be accessed by a user from any INTERNET connection.

• Most permanent PIN phone cards also allow an optional automatic recharge function. Many users find this to be an attractive option since it assures that they will not run out of funds during a call and the card is always available for use.

• Many virtual phone cards come with a call history feature that tracks and stores the details of each call (including location, length of call and cost). The call history can be accessed through the customer’s on-line account. 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 is a convenient feature for those who plan to make international calls to the same phone numbers.

• Some on-line merchants allow customers to transfer funds between phone cards. This is a useful feature for users who call to or from multiple locations and want to use the phone card offering the best rates.

• 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.

• Some on-line phone cards, like the continental card, can also be used to make conference calls, international callback calls from virtually any location in the world and to set-up personal toll free numbers in the USA.

There are virtual phone cards or prepaid calling plans like Tel3Advantage that offer many of 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 Mobile Phones. With Tel3 Mobile, users do not need to dial an access number or PIN code when placing an international call. They simply dial the international code and their call is automatically routed over the low cost Tel3 network. Tel3 also offers a business calling plan with many on-line tools and features that are ideal for small to medium size business users. Tel3Advantage can be used to make cheap domestic and international long distance phone calls from Canada and the USA.

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

Phone cards are also easy to use. All a caller needs to do is dial and access number (local or toll free depending on the phone card), enter a PIN code and place a call to any phone in the world. Many on-line phone cards include features such as speed dial or PIN free dialing which makes it very easy to place a call to any location. In many cases, they also include an on-line call history so a user can track the details for every call made with their phone card. Phone cards are also very portable, they can used from any kind of telephone (mobile, home, hotel, pay-phone or business phone). They can also be used to make calls from nearly any country in the world.

One popular virtual phone card that can be used to make cheap long distance calls from the USA or Canada is offered by Tel3. The Tel3Advantage flex plan is a very popular prepaid calling plan with more than 100,000 frequent users in North America. It is a high quality product that can be used from any kind of phone without changing service providers and has very low rates to any location in the world. It is a very good option for people who travel in North America and want the ability to make cheap international calls from any location.

It is easy to save money on long distance calls from any kind of telephone with prepaid phone cards.

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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.

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.

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 low cost domestic and international long distance phone calls. They can use the service from any kind of phone (cell, home, business, etc.) without changing companies. The Tel3Advantage plan will work with any existing service. 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 see why they have more than 100,000 active customers.

1. Phone Cards are complicated to use. This may have been true at one time but it is certainly not true today. A phone card is used by dialing a special phone number called an access number. The phone is normally answered by the phone card service provider’s automated system. In some cases, the system will ask the caller to input a PIN code and account number and than ask them to dial the number they wish to call. Some phone cards still require users to follow this procedure but it is becoming more common to find phone cards that feature PIN free dialing. With PIN free dialing, a user registers the phone numbers they typically place calls from and the system will automatically recognize them when they call the access number so there is no need to enter a PIN code or account number. More phone cards are also featuring speed dial which will allow users to dial commonly called numbers by using preset numbers, usually a couple of digits. Therefore, placing international calls with many of the phone cards being sold today is relatively simple. In many cases, all a caller needs to do is dial an access number and press a couple of numbers on their telephone key pad. What could be easier?
2. Phone Cards have poor call quality. In truth, phone card quality varies across the spectrum. Some have poor quality while others have extremely high quality. Many phone cards that advertise unbelievably low rates also have poor quality because they use low cost service providers so consumers should consider price when shopping for phone cards. However, low price does not always mean “poor quality” so consumers should also take other factors, like quality ratings, into account when shopping for phone cards. We think a good practice is to purchase a small denomination, moderately priced phone card and try it on a few calls to the locations you call most often. If the card works well for you than continue to use it.
3. Phone Cards advertise low rates than add on hidden fees that rip-off consumers. This is sometimes true. Consumers should use caution when shopping for phone cards and always read and understand the fine print and other fee disclosures listed on the phone card or the website. It is best to stay away from marketers or websites that do not prominently list phone card fees in an easy to understand format. Some phone card marketers use a lot of different fee structures and other tricks to lure consumers and charge them higher than expected rates. However, there are phone cards that list honest rates and do not charge any added fees or taxes. One virtual phone card like this is Tel3Advantage.
4. Users cannot view charges or track phone card usage. This was true in the past. Until recently, the best a user could hope for is the phone card service provider to advise them how much money was left on the card before they placed a call. The fee charged for each call was, in many cases, a mystery. This is still true with some phone cards but with many products, it is no longer true. More and more premium phone cards offer a feature referred to as “Call History” which allows users to view the details of each call made on their phone card in their personal, on-line account.
5. The existing service provider will charge extra when a phone card is used to place a call. This is truly a myth. In most cases, the existing service provider will not even know that a phone card was used. Since the user will need to place a call to the phone card access number the existing service provider may charge an extra fee for this call if, for example, it is outside the local service area. Also, if the caller uses a cell phone than air time may be charged to call the access number depending on the users call package. However, in general, extra fees are not charged by local service providers for using a phone card.

Visit Cheap International Calling options for more information on phone cards and other low cost options for making domestic and international long distance phone calls.