subject: Making Cheap International Calls [print this page] Those of us with family and clients in other countries know how expensive traditional phone service can be. And us our world continues to globalize, that need continues to grow. As it does, the fees associated with traditional calls are no longer cost-effective for most of us. We need alternatives that allow us to make cheap international calls.
The good news is that there are options available. The bad news is that not all of these options are perfect, and the less you want to pay, the more inconvenience there will be associated with the method. This is difficult in business environments where we don't want to inconvenience our clients at all. But we can often convince our family and family to try new things in order to save money.
The "cheapest" cheap international calls happen with IM or instant messaging. IM services are free, simple to use, and they don't even require a high-speed Internet service. IM is not just limited to text communications either. Most IM software allows for voice and even video via IM using a headset and a webcam, but for these services, you typically do need high-speed Internet.
Another Internet-based option is services like Skype. Skype is similar to IM with video and voice support. But whereas the developers have appended IM to meet those needs, the Skype developers have built it from the ground up to be a voice and video communications system for cheap international calls. This means it runs faster and smoother, and it is typically easier to initiate a call. Skype is also extremely flexible since it can connect from Skype to landlines and mobile lines and vice versa.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the most popular of Internet-based telecommunications services. It doesn't generally integrate video services, but it does flawlessly mimic a traditional landline. So customers can use their high-speed Internet to facilitate phone service without sacrificing any of the convenience or services to which we've grown accustomed.
Nevertheless, Internet access is not always available. In these cases, the two most common options for cheap international calls are call backs and prepaid phone cards. International call back services are excellent options when you need to make calls infrequently, or when you don't have the money to invest in buying bulk. Prepaid phone cards require an investment, but it is one of the best ways to achieve the lowest rates on traditional phone calls.
