International Long Distance Call FAQ
What is an International long distance call?
An International long distance call is when you place a phone call outside of the defined area of your country. Usually this is a call to any other country, but some phone companies have different definitions. For instance, here in the US some phone companies will include Puerto Rico, USVI and even some other locations as "being" within the country as far as their calling plan is concerned.
The bottom line is what is this call going to cost you. Find a plan/service that fits best for where you call most often.
What is "direct dial" vs. "operator assist" and how does this affect me?
If you dial the entire number to place a call, that is "direct dial". This is how you need to dial to get the best rate on your long distance or International long distance call. When you use the operator to "help" with placing your call it is an "operator assisted" call. This will always cost you more for the "convenience" of the service.
The cost of this convenience could be a dollar or more per minute for your entire call. That's enough to ruin any savings you might have had with a good plan. Always try to dial your destination directly to save money.
Why are International long distance calls to cell phones more expensive?
The International phone companies charge a connection fee to connect your call to the cell phone company. This fee is then passed on to you. Some International destinations are better than others as far as these fees are concerned, so if you expect to be calling a cell phone be sure to check on those rates as well.
I call many International destinations, how can I maximize my savings?
If you are programming PBX equipment for LCR or just want to utilize the plans with the best rate for a mix of International locations we can do a call analysis for you. We will suggest the best compliment of services based on the costs of the plans and how many minutes you use each month.
If you are doing this yourself, don't forget to add in any fees that a plan might have. A few cents saved can be lost to these fees.
I'm with big phone company "X" and they charge me a fee to get better rates with their special International plan. Do all phone companies charge a fee?
No. It's totally up to the company, but there are many direct dial or dial around services that only charge you for the calls that you make. Some have a minimum usage that needs to be met but if you regularly exceed this limit there are no other costs (exclusive of taxes).
As always it pays to look at the overall costs of using any plan. The best plan for you is the cheapest after all fees and rates are added together for the final cost.
More info
How to Direct Dial an International long distance call
