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Top 10 Prepaid Phone Card Tips
If you want to purchase a prepaid phone cards online or over the counter, you willquickly see that there are thousands of cards available. So, how do you choose the right phone card for your individual needs?Begin by asking yourself the following questions, or go directly to the Basic Usage &Suggestions portion of this page. You may also want to consult the Glossary of Terms.
QUESTIONS TO ASK PRIOR TO PURCHASING A PREPAID PHONE CARD1) What rate does the card offer to my calling destination (typically shown as¢/min)?
Confirm rates before you call and remember that some rates may fluctuate. Also,calls made to international cell phones are generally billed at a higher rate.
2) Do the rates vary depending on the hour of the day?
Be sure that the rate you receive remains constant throughout the entire day. Unlessotherwise stated, the advertised rate should be constant no matter what time of day.
3) What is the Minute Billing or Minute Rounding schedule for the card?
Rounding (minute billing) refers to the increments in which phone calls are billed. For example, with 3 minute rounding, a 4 minute phone call would be billed as a 6 minute phone call. With 1 minute rounding, the same 4 minute call would be billed as a 4 minutecall.
4) Will I be charged for calls that do not connect?
Know in advance if you will be charged for attempting a call that does not connect.Please confirm this with the carrier by contacting their customer service department.
5) Are there any additional fees or taxes?
Some phone cards include additional fees and/or taxes. Adding these fees allows carriersand retailers to to keep their advertised rates extra low. You can avoid many types of additional fees and taxes by using all of your minutes in one call. Remember... fees andtaxes effectively reduce the number of minutes you'll receive.Further, not all phone card retailers are created equal. Many will not disclose all fees andtaxes, so be sure to ask before you buy. A retailer using best business practices will revealall known taxes and fees to you up front.
6) Can I reach a customer service operator 24 hours a day?
 
Being able to get a hold of your phone card's customer service department is important because they will be able to help you with any unforeseen issues that may arise at anytime during the day.
7) Does the phone card have an expiration date?
If yes, any remaining minutes on the card past this date will be lost.
8) Does the merchant/retailer offer any form of guarantee?
Most prepaid phone card companies do not offer any guarantee on their products. Thereare , however, a handful of companies that do. A guarantee will further ensure that youget the minutes you pay for.
9) Does the company I am researching appear to be trustworthy?
Look for signs of generating trust: Visible phone numbers, privacy policy, BBBmembership, secure transactions, warranties and guarantees.
10) How will I receive my prepaid phone card after purchase?
Typically, if purchasing over the Internet, phone cards will be presented to via email or right on screen pending a successful transaction and acceptance by your bank. Somecompanies may send you a physical card, but in most cases the delivery occurs by emailor right on your screen.
BASIC USAGE & SUGGESTIONS1)
Before traveling, confirm that your pin is valid. To do this, dial the US access number and enter your pin—make sure not to make any connections so that you will not reducethe balance. Confirm with the retailer and/or carrier that service is available and that theaccess number is correct.
2)
You may be able to get extra minutes if you utilize a local access number (not availableon all calling cards or in all regions). If available, the number may be provided when youdial the toll free access number included with your pin and/or online—if the pin was purchased on a website. You may also be able to confirm this information with the carrier of your calling card.
3)
Be sure the site you are ordering from is secure. Look for an image or messageindicating this, such as SSL, Secure Transactions, Thawte Certified, etc.
4)
When choosing a card that does carry additional fees and/or taxes to get the lowest rate possible, consider purchasing smaller denominations so that you can use all of theminutes in one phone call. This will allow you to get MAXIMUM minutes as you avoid
 
scheduled fees and/or taxes. Fees and taxes will not begin until your "first use" of thecard.
5)
If making long calls, be sure that your card does not have a long call fee associatedwith it. Some cards will tax you if you make calls that last longer than a predeterminedamount of time. Some carriers add in this fee to keep people from using a card in onecall. NOTE: This type of fee is not as prevalent as it once was.
6)
All cards carry an FCC imposed payphone fee—this fee averages anywhere from 49¢to $1.00 every time you use a when calling from a payphone. This fee also applies whenmaking calls from other countries if using a calling card sold by a U.S. company.
GLOSSARY OF TERMSConnection Fee
(also known as Access fee) - This is the most common fee and one thatmost customers probably know about already. This fee is charged every time you place acall, and it usually varies from 5¢ to $1. The worst thing that can happen with thisconnection fee is, when the card buyer makes the call and either the answering machinegives a reply or the call is routed to a voice mailbox, the connection fee is charged eventhough the customer has not really uttered even a single word. Of course the best optionto avoid this charge is simply to choose a that has no connection fee!
Disconnection Fee
- This fee is identical as the connection fee, except that it is chargedat the termination of the each call instead of the beginning of each call.
Taxes
- This fee is charged on a per usage basis with reference to the call charges, and itis typically 5-15%.
Minute Rounding
(also known as Billing increment) - If a has one minute rounding, acall of 50 seconds will be charged the same as one minute and 3 1/2 minutes will becharged the same as four minutes. Many consumers only choose a card with one minute(or less) rounding in order to avoid losing some of their call time.
Maintenance Fee
- This is a very notorious fee (which many retailers keep hidden) thatis charged against the . These deductions typically occur in ether daily, weekly, bi-monthly, or on a monthly basis.
Payphones Fee
- There are surcharges on s for all calls made from payphones imposed by the FCC. You will pay this fee regardless of whether the call goes through or not.
Access Number
- The billing also depends on whether one calls a local access number or a toll-free number. In many cases, using a local area access number will reduce your per minute rate.
Long Call Surcharge
- Some carriers charge an extended talking fee if a call goes beyond a specified duration (usually around 20 minutes).
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