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Prepaid Phone Cards - Four Critical Fees To Watch Out For!

Prepaid phone cards have been a boon for many consumers, particularly people with family and friends living long distance and overseas. Amazing low rates and the opportunity to spend a long time on the phone with a loved one is something we only dreamed about a few short years ago.

Now, for very little outlay, a prepaid phone card has made the world a much smaller place. But are there dangers to avoid. You "betcha" so let's take a look at those.

Watch The Fees

Okay, the advantages are great especially in the cost saving department. But what's the point in shopping around for the lowest and least expensive prepaid phone card when you haven't taken the time to explore any hidden charges which may be lurking in the background.

The four main hidden fees to watch out for are maintenance fees, connection fees, minute rounding and surcharges from public phones. Believe me, these can chomp away at your talk time in a hurry and leave you wondering where the heck did my value go! It's easy to get caught up in the advertising hype surrounding low rates. First thing you should always do is go straight to the fine print and see how much a "you beaut" deal is really going to cost in hidden charges.

On going maintenance fees should be avoided. Connection fees in some instances may not be avoidable while be careful when purchasing a prepaid calling card and using it from a public phone. The surcharge could be excessive. The biggest bug bear with many consumers is the multiple minute rounding. Whether it's three or five minutes or whatever, it really can destroy your talk time.

For example, making a 7 minute and 20 second call and then getting it rounded off to 10 minutes. That is pretty rude in a lot of people's books so always ask about this. It should be avoided. If the cost per minute is great and there are no other hidden factors, then maybe you could tolerate a call rounded off to the next minute but no more than that!

A few other pitfalls to look out for include poor or non existant customer service, expiry deadlines where you may not even use your card and find out there was a short term deadline which has been reached. The result? You lose your talk time. Long distance confusion... low rates within a state but different rates apply outside it.

Read The Fine Print!

One of the things recommended is heading straight for the fine print section before deciding whether a deal is going to be a good one. No fees should mean no fees but for your own peace of mind, make sure of it.

Prepaid phone cards have come under a lot of scrutiny in recent years but despite the unscrupulous operators who have come and gone, the phone card has been a tremendous ally to people wanting to stay in touch with long distance family and friends.

Article Source: http://articles.directorygold.com

Dean Caporella is a professional broadcaster. Beware the hidden fees when purchasing a prepaid phone card.They could cost you plenty! Plus read the latest news and reviews at:www.phonecardsinter.com

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