Prepaid phone cards are affordable, and convenient means of calling your family, relatives, friends, and workmates.

In making sure you get the best service and rates, you need to choose the appropriate prepaid card and learn how to fully use it. Consumers also need to know that not all prepaid phone cards are the same, as they offer different rates and charges. As some cards have hidden charges and extra fees, it would be wise to read the fine print first before getting a phone card.

Take Time To Thoroughly Compare Cards

Since the market is filled with an assortment of call cards, it would be best do some shopping first, and analyze each of the available cards; verify the phone card provider, find out what what services they offer, and compare their rates to different domestic and international destinations.

You should not simply have to look for the ones that can give you the lowest rate, as some providers do give really low rates, but the quality of service would be totally different, and may be dismaying. You can also search for the right call card on the Internet. Look for the ones that have been in the market for a long time already, and check out if it offers reliable and dependable call service. As soon as you find the suitable card, make sure that the rates they advertise are actually offered, and see if they offer plans and formats which suit your needs.

Verify If A Card Offers 24/7 Services

Although most of the phone cards offer 24/7 coverage, which usually have varying rates depending on what time you make the call, also try to find out if you can make calls on pay phones, cellular phones or on any regular phone.

In using these cards, users are given a PIN number, which they use every time they make a call. This ensures that you would be the only one making the calls and no one else. However there phone cards that don't have PIN numbers, so you can usually make your calls without having the need to dial the PIN.

Choose The Card With The Appropriate Number Of Minutes

Generally, prepaid phone cards are sold in different denominations, as each card has different call times and talk rates. There are phone cards that have low call rate, but some have extra charges, which are not usually written on the card or advertised. Look for one that fits your regular call requirements.

If you generally make less than 5-minute calls, choose one that has high-quality call rate with low surcharges. However, if you usually make calls that are more than 10 minutes call, a card with a low call rate and high surcharges is generally recommended.

A typical prepaid phone card buyer would be an individual with no long-distance service or one who finds that prepaid rates to a particular country are a better deal than the packages traditional long-distance carriers offer to consumers. There are also a lot of immigrants who prefer getting the best deals to call home, as such, some phone cards advertise special rates to specific countries, in an effort to entice a target immigrant niche.