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.

Tel3Advantage World Cup Sweepstakes - Win Free International Calling

Tel3Advantage started their World Cup Sweepstakes today. It is Free to enter and First Prize Winners (9 people) will be able to make free international phone calls to the country of their choice through the end of the year using Tel3Advantage. It is easy to enter and there is no obligation, just visit Tel3Advantage World Cup Sweepstakes and choose your favorite country. The sweepstakes runs from June 11th through July 11, 2010.

There will be nine first place winners and each will be able to make Free International calls to the country they choose through the end of 2010. Also, the cost of all calls to the country with the most votes will be reduced by 10% during the month of August. You do not need a Tel3Advantage account to enter so the contest is open to everyone.

The Tel3Advantage Flex plan is one of the most popular prepaid calling plans in North America. It can be used to make cheap domestic and international long distance calls using any phone in the USA and Canada. It is free to open and maintain an account and there is no contract or obligation. Just prepaid an amount ranging from $10 to $100 and start making calls. Tel3Advantage features excellent customer service and call quality. It is the only company in the industry with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Phone Cards with Call History

A few premium on-line phone cards offer a call history feature. With call history, callers can view charges, duration and destinations for all calls made on their phone card. This is a nice feature to say the least, especially for those phone card users who have wondered where all of those minutes went. Not all phone cards come with a call history feature. Those that have call history provide users with an on-line account where they can log-in and view the details of each call made on their account in real time. We know that the following international phone cards come with the call history feature. These cards are marketed by Phone Cards International and the details for each card can be viewed on their website.

• Hello from UK - A phone card with great rates for those who call to and from the UK. It features toll free access in the UK, USA and Canada. It also has local access numbers in 14 UK cities.
• Continental Phone Card - A great all around international phone card that can be used from over 60 countries.
• Golden Lotus - An international phone card with great rates to India and other countries in Asia. It can be used from 25 countries.
• Marachi - A super phone card for those who want to make calls to or from Mexico and other countries in Latin America.
• Simply - An international phone card with great rates to most destinations from the USA and Canada.

Another premium on-line prepaid calling product that includes call history is the Tel3Advantage Flex Plan. It is a super on-line calling card that can be used to make cheap international calls from the USA and Canada. It can be used to make calls from any phone. It is also very easy to use and has no hidden fees and comes complete with a full range of features. Visit cheap international calling for more information on Tel3Advantage and other products that can be used to make cheap international phone calls.