In this day and age with cell phones everywhere, VoIP services
bringing down long distance charges, and all of the other wonders of
modern technology
at your finger tips. It is natural to look at older technology and ask
the question, “Are calling cards still relevant today?” The answer
depends on your circumstances, but quite often calling cards may not
only be a good option, but they may be your best option.
When first introduced, a calling card was a physical entity that
would be used like a credit card with an amount stored on the card
itself. Today, we have what are known as virtual calling cards. They
can be purchased over the internet
using a credit card. The information to use the card is sent to your
email address. Usually this information contains a PIN number and a
list of access numbers that you can call to gain access your services.
To use your card, you dial an access number, key in the PIN, and then
dial the destination phone number.
While this may be quite a bit of work just to make a phone call, in
many situations it can save you money, and in the extreme, it could
save your life. The first benefit is that many times the rates on a
calling card are significantly cheaper than some of your other options
for long distance. Sometimes calling card rates can be even cheaper
than VoIP services.
If you travel
a lot, it is a good idea to keep a calling card handy. Just make sure
that the calling card you have, never expires. Depending on whom you
purchase the card from, some expire after a certain time limit. These
may have even lower rates, but if you don’t use them, you lose them.
You want to find a company who offers cards that never expire.
Another benefit is if you find a company that can avoid the long
distance charges of your home, cell, or other phone lines. Because of
the cheaper rates, you can use the local activation number of your
calling card account, to circumvent the long distance rates that you
might otherwise have to pay. This can be particularly beneficial if you
travel out of the country. In this situation you can use your cell
phone to contact an access number to avoid higher rates. Some
companies have the ability to activate a number of phones so that you
don’t have to deal with a pin number. This will speed up your calling
and save you money at the same time.
If you travel to places where your cell phone does not have
coverage, having a calling card can be a life saver when you are in an
emergency situation. If you travel to foreign countries, not only can
you get cheaper rates, but you won’t have to worry about currency
conversion factors.
Are there any downsides to the use of a calling card? Of course
there are, this depends on where you get the card from, and the terms
that are tied to it. First, get one from a reputable company. Check
them out. Next make sure that the amount on the card never expires.
Some companies provide cards that do not expire even when the account
is empty. This is very good when you find that you are stranded in a
town that doesn’t have cell access, you can reload your card from a
payphone and be up and running again. Also make sure that there are no
hidden fees, no extra charges, and no maintenance fees.
So, back to the question, “Are calling cards still relevant today?”
If you travel a lot, if your cellular long distance rates or other land
line long distance rates are too expensive, then they may be more than
relevant, they may be a necessity.
