International Calling - Ways To Save Money Calling Abroad!

Is international calling important to you?  Even if you call internationally only occasionally, the cost of making such calls from your prepaid wireless phone has historically been too expensive to even seriously consider as a viable or affordable option.  While I don't call abroad a lot, most of my friends and family still live in another country (where I grew up).  I don't call them enough to subscribe to any kind of large monthly calling plan, and using my postpaid or prepaid phones is just way too expensive.  I just don't want to pay wireless carriers that much to call internationally when there are other great options out there.


I should also note that a number of prepaid providers have launched (and continue to launch and improve) special international calling bundles.  There are actually some pretty decent deals being offered as add-ons (ex. $5 or $10 per month).  They usually include discounted or even unlimited calling to specific countries or major international cities.  Some have small print noting that it's only for calls to landlines and not wireless numbers though, so definitely read all of the details to ensure that the plan meets your needs.  That said, there are some good deals to be had depending on where you're calling, and how often you're calling.


Generally speaking, while I've see a lot of improvement with these types of international add-ons, I personally don't call enough to make it worthwhile to pay an additional monthly fee.  That's why I'm still a big fan of using other options.  However, before you read through the options listed below, I want to make a special note about Google Voice.  Google Voice is a service that offers free calling to many different countries, and for those that aren't free, it offers really excellent rates to virtually any country in the world.


Google purchased Grand Central to expand its Voice service, and they've done a pretty good job at improving the offer.  They also allow for number porting, which means that you can actually port your number into Google Voice, which provides some additional features and flexibility.  There are some quirks to the service, so you'll want to fully understand how it works before jumping in.  Also, it's not available available to people living in all countries, so you unfortunately may not be able to access it.  Lastly, I want to note that I don't benefit (i.e. I don't make any money) if you choose to use Google Voice, so any positive opinions I have about the service are purely my own opinions from personal experience with the service.


Below are a couple of other more traditional options for international calling that I actually have also used myself, and I think they have some great benefits.  Feel free to check them out; hopefully the information provided is helpful and will save you lots of money!  If you have any comments, or experience using other options, please feel free to Contact me to let me know.

Smartphone Apps For Free Internet Calling

Calling Cards

Skype To Go

International Cell Phones & Prepaid SIM Cards

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