The pricing and costs of international calls will vary depending upon whether you obtain international telephone services using cell phones, fixed phone lines or calling cards. In the past, international calls were a luxury that most professionals simply could not afford. However, today, the general cost of international phone calls is more affordable and most people consider it a small price to pay for staying connected.

Making international calls is just as simple as making a long distance call to another state. The primary difference is the use of country codes, which vary depending upon where you are calling. Weigh your options by reviewing the pricing and costs of international calls offered by various types of providers including:

1. Landline international phone providers.

2. Cell phone international telephone services.

3. International phone call direct dial cards.

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Review pricing offered by landline international telephone carriers

The price of international phone services from a fixed phone line is dependent upon where you are calling and the type of long distance or international calling plan available from your specific telephone provider. The basic rate for international calls using a landline can range from a few cents a minute to several dollars.

I recommend: Go online to view rates offered by PlanetCalling.com. You can also go online to find a full list of international rates provided by AT&T.

Compare costs for mobile phone international call telephone services

Available for rent or purchase, international cell phones offer international telephone services. You can buy international cell phones that you can use in more than 100 different countries for nearly $50, but the daily fee for renting international wireless phones ranges from $3 to $10 per day. Additionally, many U.S. cell phones are compatible with international systems and you can use them abroad.

I recommend: Visit Nextel to print out the company’s rate guide for international calls. You may also check out prepaid per minute rates offered by T-Mobile.

Evaluate the cost benefits of using calling cards to make international calls

You can use calling cards to easily place international calls. Many calling card providers offer a range of features to allow users to easily stay connected from nearly anywhere in the world. With calling cards, users can make international calls for a few cents per minute.

I recommend: Check out Penny Talk, a provider that offers international phone rates starting at one cent in the United States and starting at 2 cents for calls to more than 250 countries. Comfi also lists calling card rates on its website.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In addition to the options previously discussed, businesses can make international calls at local rates using voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. VoIP services can be a more cost-effective option than international calling solutions provided by landline or mobile phone companies.

Making an international phone call has never been easier or cheaper. We've come a long way - I remember in 1990 when I was staying in a small village in the north of Bali. Making a phone call entailed riding nine kilometers on a bemo crowded with chickens, sacks of rice, baskets of flower offerings, and old ibus in lace kebayas. At the telephone office in Singaraja, I would sit in stifling heat, dripping with sweat, and wait hours for a call to be placed through an operator in Jakarta.

Several years later, back in San Francisco, it was like magic when friends of mine in Bali finally had a home phone I could call. The first few times I called from the U.S., they would pick up the phone and just breathe into it, not having the convention of phone small talk yet! Of course now, they all have trendier cellphones than I have...

Now it's simple to call countries from Ghana to Germany anytime, using the inexpensive options I list below:

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Make free Internet calls

Skype, Yahoo Messenger, and others allow you to make free Internet calls. Those you call may need to have an Internet connection and the same software you are using.

I recommend: Try Skype or Yahoo Messenger for Internet calls.

Use prepaid phonecards or pin numbers

If you're not making calls that often, buying phonecards for a particular call can be inexpensive and convenient. Maybe you only have local service on your home phone, and it's too expensive to call internationally on your cell or you don't have international service. You don't even have to run out to a corner store late at night to get a prepaid phone card -- just go to the web and get a pin number.

I recommend: Choose from a variety of prepaid call options at SpeedyPin or Nobelcom. Make sure you compare rates to get the best card for the particular country you'd like to call.

Try a paid VOIP service

VOIP (voice-over-IP) companies offer good plans that allow you to call out of the U.S. cheap, and some plans offer flat rates for certain countries. You'll need a high-speed Internet connection. With VOIP, you may call from a regular phone to another regular phone.

I recommend: If you're looking for a VOIP provider, try Vonage or Earthlink.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Certain prepaid cards offer much better deals than others. Best way to find out which ones are good deals for a particular country is to ask expats from that country which card they recommend. For example, if you'd like to call Guangzhou and you live in San Francisco, go get some dim sum in Chinatown and ask your waiters which phone card they use!

Learning international calls basics will help companies cost-effectively do business across borders. In the past, international calls were a luxury that most professionals simply could not afford. Today, having the ability to make international phone calls is a must to compete in the increasingly global business market.

In response to increased international business ventures, making international calls is much cheaper and easily accessible than in the past. In most cases, it’s as easy as making a long distance call to another state. The primary difference is the use of country codes, which vary depending upon where you’d like to call. Expand your business reach and avoid missing critical business opportunities by gaining a better understanding on international calls basics. Some key tips to know include:

1. Using cell phones to make international calls.

2. Making international phone calls from fixed phone lines.

3. Using calling cards for international telephone services.

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Check with your cell phone provider to make international calls

Available for rent or purchase, you can use cell phones for international telephone services. You can buy international cell phones that you can use in more than 100 different countries. Additionally, many U.S. cell phones are compatible with international systems and you can use them abroad. Check with your cell phone provider about using your mobile phone to make international phone calls.

I recommend: Contact Cellular Abroad for more information on renting cell phones. You may also check out international cell phones available from World Cell.

Rely on international telephone carriers

In addition to making international calls from cell phones, there are many international phone providers that offer services from fixed phone lines. With access numbers, provided by their carrier, users can quickly make international phone calls using landlines.

I recommend: Check out details on landline international calling by visiting American International Telephonics. You may also consider contacting YourCall for landline global phone services.

Assess the benefits of using calling cards to make international phone calls

You can also use calling cards to easily place international calls. Many calling card providers offer a range of features to allow users to easily stay connected from nearly anywhere in the world. With just a PIN, a toll-free number and the destination number, they will instantly connect your international call.

I recommend: Check out Nobel to learn more about the benefits of using calling cards to make international phone calls. You may also check out Call & Talk for more details on international telephone services provided by calling cards.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In addition to the options previously discussed, businesses can make international calls at local rates using voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. VoIP is a service that allows users to make and receive calls via a high-speed Internet connection rather than a traditional phone line.

Staying connected has never been easier with the Internet and affordable phone plans. International calling has become common practice. As the communications industry continues to advance, so does the language that is associated with it. Keep up to date by learning key words, acronyms, and abbreviations. Here a few terms to get you started.

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Abbreviated dialing

Abbreviated dialing, or speed dialing, can allow someone to dial long numbers with a push of a few buttons. This is especially helpful in international calling, where numbers are longer due to country codes.

I recommend: Read more about abbreviated dialing through the Federal Communications Commissions.

International gateway

A gateway connects networks together and allows communication between them. To be effective, a gateway must contain procedures agreed upon by both parties. An international gateway is a telephone number used to route calls for cheaper rates.

I recommend: To see an example of a gateway, visit Rad Communications. Read more about international gateways from GSM World.

Access charge

The fee charged by a communications service or telephone company for using its network is called an access charge. A large proportion of access charges is paid for by long distance carriers.

I recommend: Read more about access charges as Cybertelecom.

Switched access

Switched access is a regulated communications circuit used for the origination or termination of service between the customer's facility and the service company's domain. Switched access services allow customers to complete end-user requests for intra- or interstate long-distance calls as well as international calls.

I recommend: Go to Verizon for more information about switched access service.

International callback

An international callback uses a third country (usually the United States) as a middle-man for making low-cost international calls.

I recommend: Go to Whatis.com for a more in-depth definition of international callback.

Computer Telephony Integration

Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) is the act of utilizing computers to manage telephone calls. Voice, fax, and data calls are all incorporated in Computer Telephony Integration. International calling has been made easy with such devices as the Internet and computer telephony integration. Many businesses utilize CTI as an effective means of conducting business nationally and abroad.

I recommend: Go to TechFAQ for further information regarding Computer Telephony Integration.