Back to School Phone Card Special Offer

Visit the following page Phone Card Special and save 10% on all phone cards until September 16, 2010. Smart Global Call International Phone Cards features a wide selection of phone cards that can be used to make cheap long distance phone calls from almost any location. They are especially good for making cheap international calls. The continental phone card is one of our favorites because it offers high call quality, low cost and a wide range of features. It can also be used in several different ways. Most people use it as a traditional phone card but it can also be used for making low cost conference calls or as a callback phone card. We like the web call feature which allows people to make cheap international calls from any phone in the world where calls can be received. It is very easy to use and it works very well, we have tested it on calls from a variety of locations where it is hard to find products for making cheap international calls. Smart Global Call is a good source of information on international calling products and services. There is a money saving product for almost any circumstance, it just takes a little research to find the best option.

How to Make Cheap International Calls from Oman with Skype

It is relatively easy to find products that can be used to make cheap calls to Oman from almost any location in the world but making international calls from Oman is another matter. The Omani government has attempted to block most cheap international calling options so people (especially expats) are forced to use the high cost, government controlled monopoly phone company to make international calls. This is especially designed to extract as much money as possible from the relatively large expat community living in Oman.

On a recent visit to Oman I found that their phone service is expensive (even phone cards) and call quality did not seem very high. I used a prepaid cell phone while in the country and the domestic call quality is even poor. The government has blocked Skype and other pc-to-phone and VoIP products for several years so people are required to use their expensive domestic phone service. However, there is a way to use Skype from Oman and I found that Skype call quality was even higher than the Omani land line or mobile phone service.

I used Skype from Oman by first downloading a program called StrongVPN onto my laptop computer. Strong VPN creates a connection through the Internet from a PC to a server located in another country (the USA or Europe). Strong VPN assigns an IP address to the PC from the other country so Skype thinks a call is being made from that country not from Oman. I connected my PC to a server in New York using Strong VPN and made Skype to phone calls to the USA for 2 cents per minute. The system worked great and call quality was super. Strong VPN for use from Oman costs $85 per year but that can be saved many times over by using Skype instead of the domestic phone service for making international calls.

Strong VPN offers other advantages to people who travel with a laptop. One big advantage is a secure connection on any wireless network. It encrypts the signal through the wireless connection so it is much safer to use a laptop on almost any public network. There are also other advantages that are discussed on their website.

Lingo International VoIP Phone

Lingo VoIP has a new offer which makes it one of the best options for international callers who make frequent calls to certain countries. Callers will get unlimited long distance calling in the USA and to 45 countries with Lingo for the low rate of $21.95 per month. During the current sign-up special, new customers will get one month of Free Service, Free activation, Free shipping and Free equipment. This is a $116 value. Visit VoIP Service Providers for more information on Lingo VoIP and other options for making cheap international phone calls.

An international VoIP call plan is typically a good option for those who make frequent calls and use a lot of minutes each month calling to one or more of the locations included in the plan. It can be the lowest cost option for these people and it also offers high call quality. It does offer some disadvantages versus a prepaid international plan like Tel3Advantage. For example, with a VoIP plan a customer will pay the monthly fee even if they do not make any calls during the month while they will only pay for what they use with a prepaid plan. Therefore, those who consistently make a lot of international calls each month may benefit from a VoIP plan while others may benefit from the flexibility of a prepaid call plan.

Cheap Calls from Countries where Skype and VoIP is Blocked

Several countries actively block Skype and VoIP service as well as access to various websites. The following is a list of countries where Skype service is blocked. There are likely other countries not listed here so it is something to consider when traveling to international locations.

Belize
Brazil
Caribbean Countries (Jamaica, etc.)
China
Egypt
Jordan
Kuwait
Mexico
Oman
Pakistan
Paraguay
Qatar
UAE

In most cases, these countries block Skype and VoIP phone service in order to force people to use their high cost international phone service. It is possible to get relatively cheap international phone cards that can be used to make calls from Brazil, China and Pakistan so these are good alternatives. However, the other countries leave few options for people who want to make cheap international phone calls.

One exception is international callback. International callback can be used to make cheap international calls from cell phones or any type of phone that can receive international phone calls. International callback can save callers a lot of money because the calls originate in another country and the local, high cost phone service is by-passed. There are different types of callback but one we like is commonly called Web Call. It is simple to use and very hard to block since it is triggered by sending a pre-formatted e-mail message to a computer in another country. Therefore, all that is required to place a call is a phone and any type of Internet connection. The e-mail contains the phone number where to caller is located and the number that the caller wants to call. A computer receives the e-mail, places a call to the caller and, when answered, completes the call by placing a call to the other parties phone number. It is simple, cheap and can be used to make international calls from any country in the world.

Cheap International Calls to South Africa

South Africa has recently become a very popular international calling destination due to the 2010 World Cup. Many people people at home are trying to find ways to make cheap calls to South Africa so they can keep in touch with family and friends attending the World Cup. Rates vary significantly between international calling products and the country where the call originates but there are some basic rules to follow for those who want significant savings. First, forget traditional land-line or traditional cell phone service providers. International rates through these companies are sky high and they offer nothing other than convenience. Those willing to suffer a little inconvenience can save a lot of money by using one of the following products.

Those calling from North America (Canada or the USA) should use Tel3Advantage. It is a prepaid calling plan (similar to a phone card) that can be used to make cheap long distance phone calls from any kind of telephone. It is has the lowest rates to South Africa from North America and is very convenient to use. It is easy to open an account and there are no fees or hidden charges, simply deposit as little as $10 and start making calls. Rates from North America to land-lines in South Africa are 3.1 cents per minute and those to mobile phones are 11.6 cents per minute. These are very good since they include all taxes and fees.

People who want to make cheap phone calls to South Africa from Canada, the USA or other locations should consider phone cards. These can be used to make calls from any kind of phone in over 130 countries. Typical rates on calls from the USA to South African land-lines using premium quality phone cards start at about 3.4 cents per-minute. Calls to mobile phones in South Africa start at about 8.9 cents per-minute. These are advertised rates, actual rates will be higher due to taxes and fees. Visit Phone Cards International for more information on a variety of international phone cards.

Another popular method of making international calls is a PC-to-Phone service like Skype. This is a popular service because users can make free PC-to-PC calls if both parties use Skype. The free service is limited because both parties need to have PC or WiFi access in order to complete free calls. Rates on PC-to-Phone calls using Skype are typically not as cheap as the rates on calls made using Phone Cards or Tel3Advantage. For example, using Skype pay-as-you-go service, calls from the USA to South African land-lines cost 6.8 cents per-minute and those on calls to mobile phones are 23.3 cents per-minute. These rates are before tax but they are already much higher than the other services mentioned above.

Those who don't normally make many international calls and only want a product to make a few calls during the World Cup should consider using phone cards. Premium phone cards offer quality, low cost, convenience and many can be purchased denominations of $5 or less. These are ideal for the occasional international caller.

Are Prepaid Phone Cards the Answer?

If you are planning to travel to Europe or other international destinations this summer than prepaid phone cards may be the answer to your communication needs. Many people plan to use an international cell phone to keep in touch but those who check the rates offered by their carrier find the cost is far too high. Why pay dollars per-minute for calls when high quality international phone cards offer rates of just a few cents per-minute? International cell phones are fine for emergency but the rates charged for international calls are simply to high for every day use. People who want to save money should purchase prepaid phone cards that will work from the countries they plan to visit. These can be conveniently purchased and recharged through an on-line account from any location where the INTERNET is available. Phone cards are low cost and convenient to use since they can be used from almost any telephone. There may be some restrictions or extra charges in some countries so read the fine print before making a purchase. The answer is that travelers who make frequent international calls with phone cards will save a lot compared to those who make the same calls with international cell phones.

Father's Day Phone Card Sale - 15% Discount

Smart Global Call International Phone Cards has a 15% discount on all phone cards in celebration of Father's Day, June 20th. The sale lasts through Monday, June 21st. Use the link below to get the 15% discount. They offer a wide selection of phone cards that can be used to make cheap calls from over 130 countries. The selection includes the popular continental phone card and even premium phone cards like Bison and AT&T. Visit Phone Card Sale for more information.