The international prepaid phone card has come to the rescue of thousands of international travellers and immigrants who have taken advantage of the extremely low and cheap rates to stay in touch with family and friends.

Once upon a time, picking up the phone to dial overseas was almost a social event; it just wasn’t done on a regular basis given the exhorbitant costs facing consumers. Well, it seems consumers are having the last laugh over traditional calling methods.

Reuniting with Loved Ones Over The Phone

For immigrants, the international prepaid phone card allows new migrants to phone relatives for cents in the dollar. People who have lived in their adopted countries for 30 to 40 years have been able to contact friends and relatives they haven’t spoken to for a similar length of time.

The downside is the amount of options available to people. Options are usually a good thing but in the world of phone cards, it has created a lot of confusion. The phone card industry has received bad publicity over the years with “fly-by-nighters” and scam artists causing problems and while it’s cleaned up it’s act, there are still some well worn guidelines you can follow to ensure you find the right company and card best suited to your needs.

Phone Card Checklist

Here’s my shortlist of international prepaid phone card checks when I’m shopping for a card.

1. How long has the company been in business? You can check online and if the they’ve been plying their craft for any reasonable amount of time then they get a plus in my books.

2. Can the company be contacted? This is vital. Recently, I required a copy of my phone card records for immigration purposes. I rang my company and following a request, the information was provided to me within a week. The big factor here was I was able to call them.

3. Customer service was touched on in the previous point. It was excellent. Being able to talk to a real live person when you require assistance makes such a big difference.

4. Can the card be topped up over the phone? Being able to dial a central number when you haven’t got internet access is another plus factor for me.

5. Check for hidden fees… these can eat away your payments in no time. Avoid them.

This is a shortlist of things to look out for but in the end, the first three points are the most important in my book for shopping for an international prepaid phone card. When you find a phone card company you like and it works well for you, stick with it and resist the urge to change to a cheaper rate. Sometimes, cheaper is definately not better!

What is a GSM Gateway?

A GSM Gateway is in simple terms a mobile phone appliance that when attached to a PABX phone system will enable you to make calls from your Phone System using a mobile network. By putting an Unlimited or Capped Call Plan SIM card into the GSM gateway and programming the PABX to direct outbound calls via the Gateway, $000s can be saved. Anyone who gets their landline phone bill will see that any calls made to a mobile number are the most expensive. Mobile numbers have high call rates and it is easy to run up a big telephone bill if you make them regularly. If you want to make calls to a mobile phone number it is often the mobile carriers that offer the better deals, not the fixed wire carriers.

Here’s an example how GSM Gateway can cut your phone bill.

Metro Hotel A has a total of 50 rooms to let, at present they have a company plan on their landlines with one of the country’s leading Telco’s. They had 6 dedicated voice lines and they did at that time spend around $1000 a month on phone calls to landlines and mobiles within Australia. Then they add a 4 port GSM gateway and 4 Telaustralia Unlimited Call Plan SIM Cards for $119 per month each. On these call plans, all calls to Landlines and Mobiles within Australia are unlimited and untimed so their bill for calls to mobiles & landlines will come to $476 per month…a total saving of around 50% or $6000 per annum. As they now have 4 GSM Gateway lines committed to outbound calls, the total quantity of landlines has been reduced to 3 which also save them a further $100 each month on line rental charges.

What do I need to use a GSM Gateway?

What you need to have is a programmable PABX phone system, and that system needs to facilitate at least one free analogue port. Also needed is an active SIM card on the mobile phone plan you want. Your PABX Maintainer will install the Gateway for you and program your PABX system so that you can nominate which lines will route via the GSM Gateway.

Is it a cheaper method to use than VoIP?

Generally, using a GSM Gateway for PABX Phone Systems works out less expensive than VoIP. If you on the other hand making lots of International calls, VoIP might suit you better. The real advantage of using a GSM gateway is simplicity. Once installed and programmed there are no other ongoing support costs, call quality issues or technical support required. Imaging connecting a Mobile Phone, and then leaving it on a shelf in your office, that’s what connecting a GSM gateway is comparable to doing. On average prices for a unit start from $500 Aus installed for a single SIM device and in the region of $1800 for a 4 Channel device. Units can be purchased in increments of 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28 right up to 32 Channel (32 SIM cards) that are able to be connected to Primary Rate ISDN 10/20/30 PABX Systems.

Did you know that you don’t have pay outrageous phone bills anymore? In actuality, you can abandon your phone company altogether while still enjoying all the normal telephone services you want with one low-monthly charge. It’s called VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) and Comcast Cable has it. Comcast Cable VoIP is emerging in 2007 because so many customers have acquired a aversion for the phone companies and would like a viable alternative to paying per-minute fees. By utilizing your broadband internet connection you can have LIMITLESS domestic calling – no more long-distance charges! Comcast Cable VoIP is prepared for prime time and you can finally keep big money by eliminating per-minute phone bills.

Comcast VoIP is the Future of Telecom

VoIP is everywhere because it operates by transmitting voice over the Internet. VoIP actually isn’t a new technology. VoIP telephone service made its broadcast unveiling in 1995. But only lately have cable companies been able to take the technology to residential homes. VoIP works as good as your cable connection and allows users to tap into the complete capacity of the Internet. VOIP services are effective because you don’t have to buy any new gear. Comcast technicians transparently plug your existing telephone system into a cable broadband modem. The only thing you have to do is enjoy cheaper monthly bills. Comcast VoIP is both the most reliable and best value for the money among all the existing cable companies offering telephone services.

How Comcast Saves You Even More Money – Three Great Services and One Low Bill

But Comcast doesn’t just offer phone service. You can save even more money by bundling digital cable TV, broadband internet, and VoIP into one monthly charge. Bundled services from Comcast Cable TV are plainly a winning idea for customers. With Comcast bundled services, you can choose digital cable, home telephone service and high speed broadband Internet together. The advantage of having Comcast bundled services is that it is greatly easier to keep track of your utility expenses when the bundled services are charged on one monthly amount. It is cheaper to buy multiple services through Comcast than it is to buy one service from several providers. While it’s true that these bundled services will save money over subscribing to the same services through different companies, not all bundled packages are the same. The bundled services provided by Comcast are among the best for a number of reasons. Comcast’s bundled services are better than other bundles you can get through other companies because many companies have the tendency to outsource some of their services. Comcast offers and maintains they’re own products and give legendary reliability to customers. Don’t make the error of using poor, unreliable third-party providers.

Start Saving Today – Make the Switch to Comcast VoIP Phone Service

VoIP is taking the carrier business by storm. VOIP is a full-fledged network based service offering all the features of a normal phone service. Comcast’s telephone service is a revolutionary technology that has the possibility to completely change how the world uses telephone systems. Comcast telephone is a cheaper alternative to traditional telephone services and its easy to switch. Comcast VoIP is here to stay; are you ready to save money? Order now!