You may choose to participate in discount calling plan and use a dial-around service, as otherwise just by picking up the receiver and placing an international long distance call may prove to be expensive. The gap between the cost of making an international call on basic rates and calls made with discount calling plans is so much, that a relatively short call per month can be cheaper on a calling plan.

Calling Plans

When you opt for a calling plan, you enter into an agreement with your long distance service provider, which usually includes a monthly fee. Your call patterns decide the benefits that you get from this agreement. To make a judgment regarding what kind of plan you should go in for; you may approach the service provider to find out if any of its calling plans would lower your monthly billing, based on your call history. You would need to get the facts, such as, if there are any flat rate fees associated with the plans that are offered by the service provider. You would be interested to know if those quoted rates applies 24 hours, 7 days a week, or, only on certain days of the week and also if it is limited within a certain period of time during the day or night. For example, a calling rate plan may apply only between 5 PM to 7 AM, Monday to Friday.

There could be plans where you need not pay any taxes at all. You make a monthly fixed amount payment and you would get features like:

There are calling plans being offered for business also. The features in this kind of a plan offers a lot more than the personal ones, where the fees are more than those of the personal calling plans. There are plans for industries, large enterprises and small business. In industry solutions, the calling plans offers - voice and data monthly service discounts, equipment discounts and usage-based discounts. For large enterprises, the service provider may offer different options and features whether you have 1,000 or 5,000 lines. You can choose the options and features that suit your enterprise. These features may include:

As far as small business is concerned, there are plans for the growing business having growing communication needs. There are those growing requirements - more people to connect, more customers to serve and more opportunities to take advantage of.

You would preferably be finding out regarding taxes and other fees. You need to keep on shopping for the best plan that you want, if you do not find what you are looking for with the service providers that you have been looking at. You could visit the websites of international long distance telephone service providers and compare their plans. If you think that you make only a few international long distance calls a year and you do not think that it is justified for you to go into any calling plans, you may consider using a dial-around or pre-paid card, which will give you savings over the calls that you make.

Dial-arounds

Dial-arounds are a set of pre-fixes that you dial before the phone number that you are calling. Many of these dial-around numbers begin with 10-10 followed by three digit access codes, for example, 10-10-XXX. Some other service providers use numbers like, 10-15 or 10-16 followed by a three-digit access code. Therefore, dial-arounds need the use of the access codes along with the number you are going to call. For example -

Dial-arounds give you a much lower rate for long distance calls compared to the usual basic rates for those calls made otherwise. You can opt for dial-around calling without even changing your existing long distance carrier, with your dial-around charges appearing in your monthly bills.

You can have as many as dial-around accounts as you want, choosing the right dial-around account for the maximum long distance call benefit that you are about to make. Such accounts do not have any monthly fees and are as good as or better than calling plan rates, discussed above. Consumer oriented websites provide lot of information in choosing the right type of dial-arounds. While choosing a dial-around, look into the following important points:

Pre-paid Cards

Making a call on pre-paid card, enables you to pay for the call before you make the call. This provides, for one thing, a good way to maintain your budget. These cards are available and could be purchased in minute increments, providing you call credits for the number of minutes of calls that you want. At first you need to gain access through a toll-free telephone number and follow the recorded instructions. You will need to identify yourself by punching in the personal identification number (PIN) available in your pre-paid card.

The advantages of having pre-paid international calling card are many and include the card's easy availability at convenient places, such as, news stands, post offices, and stores, and that it offers much discounted rates. Further, people who do not have the facility of calling long distance from their phone can use this card to make such calls. The card also features speed dialing and activity reports for frequently called numbers. The biggest advantage is that it provides you with a pre-paid scheme, where-by you can maintain your budget, knowing how much you are spending, and avoiding running up huge billing at the end of the month.

With certain cards, there are hidden costs, like, as and when you get connected to the called number, a charge is automatically deducted from your pre-paid amount. It is proper if you could read the 'fine prints' at the back of the card before you buy one such, so that you are aware of the terms that the card has. It is a good idea to call the company and learn more about the information relating to all the charges that you need to pay on making a long distance calls. Remember, that you have paid for the calls in advance and you may be unaware of the kind of charges that apply and you may be losing your money. The pre-paid international cards have an expiry date from the date of activation, which is written in the card. These international pre-paid cards also carry notices, one of them being that the company, issuing the cards, is not responsible if the card is lost or stolen.

International Callback Services

These services offer a different type of international call service and the rates are cheaper than rates usually charged. This is a pre-paid service, which may be used from any country to call any other country. The matter of fact is that, while the service is offered from and to many countries in the world, it is illegal to use such a service in some of the countries, mostly where the government of that country is holding the administration of the communication system. It is illegal since with this callback service, the government or the major player in that country stands to lose revenue.

In such callback services, one of the methods is to dial an international number from the telephone having international access and as soon as you hear the other side ringing, you will need to put the receiver back in order to disconnect. You will get a call back and you will get a dial-tone which allows you to dial the international number you want. The other way could be to dial 800 and enter an access number along-with it. This will get you a different dial-tone and you may dial the desired international number.

The callback service usually generates from the United States and in effect, you will be calling your international number via the United States. For example, if you are calling Germany from a Far East country, you are making this call through the United States.

In summarising the above, in order to save your money, it is likely that you should shop around to find the best deal in calling plans offered, dial-arounds, pre-paid calling cards, and callbacks. It is very much required that you should read the terms and conditions of such services and make enquiries where-ever you feel necessary. Understanding the 'money saver' scheme that you are going in for is absolutely necessary and you will be able to do this with the understanding of your calling pattern. Looking at a scheme where you need to pay a monthly fee, think if that suits your need in saving vis-avis the number of international or long distance calls that you usually make. If you do not understand your plan or the charges, get in touch with the customer service and speak to a representative who speaks your language.

The carriers of these schemes are always offering new rates and plans. So, you need to review your plan periodically. This you may do by calling your long distance carrier and get updated regarding the recent offers or you may choose to visit their websites to get the information.

About the Author:

John Dulaney is an international traveler and an expert in overseas audio video equipment and cell phone communications when traveling abroad. His website Planetomni, carries thousands of multisystem TVs, VCRs, region free DVD players at deeply discounted prices. Planetomni also offers a large selection of prepaid cell phones, cell phone rental and satellite phones for rent or purchase.

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