Phone cards
Prepaid international calling cards offer you a wide range of advantages on international calls:
- you can save up to 90% of the cost of a normal call (card providers offer such cheap calls because they buy high quantities of international minutes at large discounts)
- phone cards can be used with every phone and make calls to any kind of number
- they allow you to manage your phone expenses, avoiding the surprise of an astronomical bill at the end of the month
Look for a prepaid international phone card when in the Philippines and ask your family and friends back home to find phone cards, specifically designed for Asia. In this way you will be able to keep in touch with home and control your spending.
Access number
There are some web pages that collect price information from international telecom companies, allowing you to compare calling prices, get the best rate and save your money on international calls. In order to do this, you must have the bill payer's permission. The process is simple: first choose the rate you want to pay and call the access number beside the rate. Once you are connected, dial the full international number. You can call from your mobile phone or land-line. Calls are charged from time of connection to the service.
VoIP
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allows low-cost phone calls using the Internet. You can find several VoIP providers on the Internet. The use of VoIP requires a high speed (broadband) Internet access connection. Some VoIP providers require special adapters which connect to your high speed modem and enable you to use your regular telephone, others providers requires only a desktop microphone.
Some VoIP plans offer additional programs, such as conference calling, 3-way calling, voice email and voice fax. However, you should choose a VoIP provider that will allow you also to choose your own area code. Then you can set up a VoIP service based in your home country, which will help you lower the cost of the calls considerably.