Where to Compare Phone Card Companies and Rates

Knowing which companies to compare reliable prepaid phone cards is not hard to find at all. Thankfully today there are many more honest companies providing as advertised call per minute rates due to a massive sweep up by governmental consumer affairs and public awareness.

Phone cards or calling cards as some may call them are prepaid methods for making long distance and international calls. They offer discounted call rates that are often cheaper than using your local phone company's plans. And the best thing of all is that they do not require you to sign contracts or entangle you into long term commitments.

And since everyone these days has a mobile phone using a prepaid calling card to make international calls is definitely cheaper than your carrier service by far.

But the problem is nobody really knows where to find phone card companies that are reliable and avoid the ones that offer false advertised minutes.

Today you can easily find phone cards in almost every types of stores - whether they are small mom and pop shops to large chains like Targets and Walmarts. But like anything else these days you can find the best deals for phone cards that are sold though the Internet.

You can find many companies selling phone cards on the Internet. Most are better than others and you can find the names of the best most reliable phone card companies below.

The types of products these companies offer are considered electronic prepaid phone cards. Which means you won't be getting a physical card where you have to scratch to reveal PIN numbers. So you won't have to wait for an actual physical card to be mailed to you.

Instead PIN numbers will be emailed to you along with the access numbers. This is by far the best way since you can purchase one in the comforts of your own home or anywhere else that has Internet access.

You should always compare a few companies' call per minute rates for the country you want to call. But you should also find out how long the provider has been in business as well. Any company that has been in the industry for at least over 5 years is a good sign.

Obviously you need a credit card to purchase phone cards over the Internet. Which is great because most major credit cards offer some sort of consumer protection in case there is a problem. However, one of best ways to purchase phone cards over the Internet is through PayPal.com. If you've used eBay before then you know exactly what kind of service they provide. PayPal offers one of the best consumer protection policy. Though not all phone card companies are able to allow customers to pay through PayPal, paying with a major credit card too will suffice. But most of the ones mentioned below does, which is a big reason why I am confident in recommending them.

• Nobelcom.com - Perhaps one of the first companies selling prepaid phone cards on the Internet with strong roots in the telecommunications industry. Since Nobelcom owns and operates their own communications facilities they are able to offer high quality calls and low call per minute rates to consumers. Although their phone cards cost slightly higher than their competitors and are meant for consumers who prefer higher quality phone calls. However, they do offer reward points which you can earn for discounts on consequent purchases. Plus they offer a free 15 minute trial for new customers, so you can try them out for yourself.

• Speedy Pin - Another popular company on the Internet that has been offering quality phone cards on the Internet for a decade. And also possibly the only company that offers a 100% guarantee to boot. They offer the widest assortment of phone card products so you'll have plenty of choices to choose from.
  

• Pingo - Part of a larger communications network called iBasis, which major phone companies rely on for high quality calls. Pingo is a strong company that offers low call per minute rates to many international countries. They too offer specials and discounts ever so often and is rapidly gaining popularity. On top of quality prepaid phone cards, Pingo also offers alternative ways to make international calls such as Pingo soft phone, which allows you to make cheap affordable quality calls on your home computer.
  

• Free Call Planet - Here's a company that offers consumers affordable monthly plans for calling countries such as India, Pakistan, China, Thailand and Canada, without having to sign a contract. And their rates for the rest of the world is not too bad either. The advantages of using Free Call Planet's service is that you won't have to remember PIN numbers. And you can register several phone numbers to access the same account so your families can enjoy making calls to loved ones living overseas. Free Call Planet also offers a money back guarantee for first time customers, as long as you do not exceed a given amount of minutes. You can find out more information about that on their website.
  

One of the things you should think about before purchasing a phone card is whether or not you will be calling a land line or mobile number.

Majority of the phone card rates you see from different companies are based on calls made to land lines, whether it be home or business phones. And rates for calling land lines are cheaper. If you use that same phone card to dial a mobile number you will notice that your minutes are running out faster. Why? Because it always cost more when calling a mobile number with a phone card.

But whichever company you decide to choose remember to check call per minutes rates often, especially if you use phone cards quite often. Rates do go up and down. And since most phone cards are rechargeable people just assume they are receiving the same low rates.