Some prepaid calling cards are no bargains

You might not get exactly what you're paying for when it comes to using prepaid calling cards to reach out to family and friends, according to a new study by the Washington-based Hispanic Institute.

It tested 45 international prepaid calling cards for efficacy and value, and found that the average card delivered only 60 percent of the minutes promised. A third of the 45 cards delivered the full call-time promised; seven, or 15.6 percent, didn't work at all; and eight had call completion rates of 50 percent or less. Three cards provided less than 20 percent of the minutes promised
Dropped calls, poor sound quality and post-dial delays of up to 50 seconds were common among most of the cards. Just 15 cards allowed the caller to use the entire time balance. The institute said consumers were misled by excessive fine print, confusing terms and conditions, or simple omission of important information about card usage.

Those who are hit hardest by prepaid calling card fraud are mostly immigrants who use them as a cost-effective option to keep in touch with family and friends abroad, the institute said. Prepaid phone cards have grown into a $4 billion industry, responsible for 11 billion calls in 2004.
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Merits of Using Calling Cards

The use of an international calling card is perhaps one of the most convenient ways of making long distance calls. More often than not, the calling cards are of a "prepaid" nature - which means that a person needs to pay for the card before using the same. The uncertainty of phone bills is replaced with the assurance of talking for a certain number of pre-specified minutes. The use of calling cards translates into users saving money on their long distance phone bills. In addition, the hassles of monthly bills and detailed statements are done away with.

Apart from significant savings on phone bills, the calling cards have other advantages as well. In addition to being easy on the pocket, the calling cards are also easy to acquire. Users can get the calling cards easily "off-the-shelf" and pay for the same through cash or credit cards. More importantly, users can select specific cards depending on their individual needs and subject to their budgetary constraints. People could thus exercise their choices and get to acquire calling cards that are designed for their specific use.

More importantly, the international prepaid cards are easy to activate. One could activate the same using a pin number or a toll free number. In some instances, secret pin numbers are also used.

So, calling cards could be the answer if you are missing someone at home. You could also use an international calling card, if you want to hear the voice of your loved ones. As a matter of fact, long distance calling cards ensure that individuals remain connected with their near and dear ones at the minimum possible costs.

A number of private telecom companies have come up that offer cheap international and UK calling cards to customers and end users. There is a lot of competition in this field and the ultimate beneficiaries are the end users.
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Prepaid Phone Cards Can Save you a Bundle This Holiday Season

The holidays are traditionally a time for family members to get together. But for many, it is not quite possible simply because they are separated by great distances. It is hard enough to have loved ones living hundreds of miles away, let alone those who live across oceans. So the next best thing is to pick up the phone and greet them. Technology has indeed cut through the distance barrier with facilities like email or computer-to-computer voice calls. Yet for many, technology is still not that reachable. For example, grandpa and grandma may be quite capable of sending and receiving emails, but they may not be savvy enough to connect a microphone and headphones to the computer sound card. So the best way to reach out and touch them is by way of a good old-fashioned telephone call. Grandpa and grandma will probably tell you of a time when making long distance calls would make you think twice. Yes there was indeed a time when long distance calls had to be thought of before being pencilled into the monthly budget. It was that expensive. But thanks again to technology, you can now have lengthy long distance or even overseas calls for less than the price of your daily fill of gourmet coffee. These kinds of low, low rates are probably not available through your telephone company though. You would have to purchase a prepaid phone card to be able to enjoy these kinds of savings. Depending on the phone card brand and the location you are calling, your savings could be as much as 70%. Phone cards have indeed become mainstream and are quite indispensible among many. They are popular among young students who live far away from their folks but would like to keep in regular contact by phone. Professionals who are traveling regularly keep a supply of these cards handy. Tourists from overseas resort to them as well so they can save on their pocket money while calling home. Prepaid phone cards can be purchased through most convenience stores, in the mall, through vending machines and most certainly over the world wide web. In fact this is the most convenient way. All you do is visit an online prepaid calling card retailer, select your choice of card (there are literally dozens to choose from), create an account with them, pay with your credit card and you will be automatically issued a PIN. Depending on the card you choose, you will either be given a toll-free or local-access number to call. Then you enter the PIN, and you can now proceed with making your long distance or overseas call. That was the easy part. The part that could take up most of your time when shopping online for prepaid cards is studying the terms of each phone card brand. Some cards may have the cheapest per minute cost but they will deduct a weekly maintenance fee. The maintenance fee goes into the handling of customer inquiries such as credits used, remaining balance and other customer service related issues. On the other hand, some cards may have a higher per minute charge but do not deduct any other fees. So you are advised to check out each brand's terms first before buying. So before you spend all your holiday shopping money, be sure to set aside $10-$20 for your prepaid cards if you plan on spreading some holiday cheer with your faraway loved ones. In fact, this small investment may already keep you talking well into the new year.
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Schools to give calling cards to military

Three area charter schools are helping overseas military personnel keep in touch with family members this holiday season.

The schools — Bonita Springs Charter, Gateway Charter and Six Mile Charter Academy — are taking $6.50 donations for prepaid phone cards through Dec. 21, the last day of classes before the two-week winter break. Charter Schools USA of Fort Lauderdale runs the schools.

The effort is part of Operation Uplink, a program that provides free long-distance phone cards to active military and hospitalized veterans.

Donors have the opportunity to include a personal message to soldiers with their contribution, expressing their gratitude and support.

Operation Uplink is a national program sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.
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