Calling cards are a multi-million dollar business, with a wide range of options in most local stores, petrol/gas stations and large retail chains.  But nowadays there are a whole range of choices online as well, where buying a calling card takes only a few clicks of a button and codes are delivered instantly.

The dangers and annoyances of calling card use are well documented and the same factors are worth considering when purchasing a calling card online.  Check out the above linked article and read on below to arm yourself with as much information as possible and protect yourself from any potential rogue traders.

Start-Up Fees

Some calling cards require an extra payment just for activation which obviously raises the cost per-minute above that of the advertised rate.  For example, if you purchase a 30 minute calling card for $10, but have to pay an additional $1.99 to activate it, each minute is actually costing you 40 cents instead of 33 cents. This means you are paying over 20% more per minute. Suddenly that $10 deal doesn’t seem so great!

Minimums

Your online calling card may also institute minimums, like a 3 minute minimum per call. That means if you call someone and get their voicemail, you could still have 3 minutes deducted from the value of your card - even though you were on the call for less than a minute. This can quickly use up your card if you make many calls that are short or that go to voicemail!

Rounding

Countless calling card companies use this old trick to drain your credit.  Rounding up minutes to a certain amount really eats into your funds.  Imagine your calls are rounded up to the nearest minute.  That means a call of 1 minute and 1 second costs the same as a 2 minute call.  And that’s not the half of it, with many companies hiding away in the small print that they round up by 3, 5 or even 8 minutes in some cases!  It really is daylight robbery and should be avoided.  So check the small print if calling cards are your preferred option!

Read more about the problems with calling cards here or simply choose an alternative option…

Alternatives to Online Calling Cards

The hassle of online calling cards can be avoided by using a service like Rebtel. Rebtel works on your smartphone, tablet and even landline and provides users with a local number for each of their contacts.  This means that a long distance phone call is charged at the local rate.

You’ll get cheaper rates than with an online calling card and there are no start up fees, minimums or rounding - you pay only for the minutes you actually use.  In fact, this transparency of pricing, coupled with high call quality and an easy setup process is what has turned Rebtel into a market leader in the telecommunications industry.