| Whether you make just one international long distance | | | | distance calls within your state). The average fee is |
| call a month or numerous calls, it pays to compare | | | | about 9%, but many companies have a much higher |
| international calling plans to find the best overseas | | | | USF fee. |
| phone rate for the country you are calling. | | | | As always, read the fine print. |
| Always check dial around rates because in many | | | | Dial Around Numbers Key to Cheap International |
| instances a dial around number will give you the | | | | Phone Rate |
| cheapest international long distance from the USA. | | | | Know if your call to another country has a minimum |
| The plans I have listed on | | | | minute per call charge. One of the best ways to get a |
| www.CheapTelephoneBills.com offer some of the | | | | cheap international phone rate is by using a dial around |
| lowest per minute rates when calling from the U.S. to | | | | number. |
| another country. There are also international calling | | | | Some company plans have a 10 or 20-minute minimum |
| plans that target certain cities to give you the best | | | | charge per call, so a one-minute call could be pretty |
| phone rate for just that specific city. Yet even within | | | | expensive in the long run. I will use a hypothetical |
| these calling plans there can be a few cents | | | | situation as an example: |
| difference in some cases. As always, read the fine | | | | Let's say you need to make a call to Germany and |
| print for every plan to know exactly what you are | | | | you see that the rate is 15c per minute. But this calling |
| getting. | | | | plan also has a 20-minute minimum charge per call. |
| International Calling Plans Can Vary By City | | | | You make the call and someone answers the phone |
| Don't assume that a plan with a low rate within the U.S. | | | | and informs you the person you want to talk to isn't |
| will also have a cheap international phone rate. Many | | | | home. Your call lasted only 2 minutes, but because it |
| people believe that just because a calling plan has a | | | | has a 20-minute minimum you have just paid $3.00 for |
| great low rate for long distance calls within the U.S., this | | | | that 2-minute call. |
| same plan will have a low overseas phone rate. | | | | Now, if you know you will be talking for a while, using a |
| Although this can be true, it isn't always true. | | | | minimum minute plan is fine and in fact can sometimes |
| If you need to use a separate dial around number to | | | | save you a lot of money. But if you're not sure if that |
| receive the lowest international phone rate, do it. If you | | | | person is home or not, look into using a different dial |
| make calls to a few different countries, check to see if | | | | around number on your first call. |
| you would be better served by using one calling plan | | | | You can easily use one dial around number that |
| for calls to one country, then a different dial around | | | | maybe has a little higher per minute rate, then if the |
| number for calls to another country. In many cases, | | | | person you are trying to reach is available to talk, call |
| taking the time to do this can save you a lot of money | | | | them back using the plan with the lower per minute |
| on your international long distance phone service. | | | | rate but has the minimum minute per call charge. Some |
| Always check what the Universal Service Fund (USF) | | | | people don't want to take the time to do this, but for |
| fee is: It is becoming more and more common for | | | | those who do it can save them some serious money |
| companies to charge a USF fee for state-to-state and | | | | on their international long distance. |
| overseas calls (the USF fee does not apply to long | | | | |