Before you make that call to Pakistan, take a good look at your provider’s rates. Pakistan call rates have inflated by over 100% in one day for all international carriers - an increase staggering enough to make even the most homesick Pakistani think twice about phoning loved ones.
Each year, consumers spend billions of dollars on calling cards. These cards allow those without international calling plans, or those seeking to avoid higher rates through their plans, to place calls overseas. New immigrants or international travelers often use them to place calls to loved ones. The card price constitutes a pre-payment on minutes, though the number of minutes depends on the country the user calls as well as any fees that may deplete the card balance.
Per-minute rates can vary widely depending on the country you are trying to call. Some nations are largely isolated from the United States, whether by geography or politics. Such isolation tends to make those countries more expensive to call.
Calling cards are a multi-million dollar business, with availability in just about every gas station and convenience store you can find - as well as online, where buying a calling card takes only a few clicks of a button and codes are delivered instantly. However, if you plan to buy a calling card online, there are a few things to watch out for that you should be aware of.
Making long distance calls inside the US can be expensive. Some phone companies charge more for calls from state to state (interstate) calls than local toll (intrastate) calls, while others may offer “free long distance” but the plan is padded to account for your calls and many numbers are excluded. Still others offer monthly plans with a monthly fee plus a per minute rate, or a flat per minute rate anytime.
If you need to call friends and family in another country very often, you might find paying per minute becomes quite costly. In that case, an unlimited plan will often prove most cost-effective and give you peace of mind. Find out all our tips in our calling guide.
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