There are many advantages to pre-paid cards. First, pre-paid cards for international services generally offer discounted rates. In addition, they are sold at convenient places such as newsstands, post offices, and stores. Moreover, consumers who do not have residential long distance telephone service can use these cards. Some cards also have features such as speed dialing for frequently called numbers and activity reports for frequently called numbers. Finally, these cards allow callers to pay for calls in advance, rather than running up high bills that must be paid at a later time.

However, consumers still need to be careful when using pre-paid calling cards. Pre-paid cards sometimes have hidden costs. For example, some cards appear to charge by the minute, but also add a fee for each call. When choosing a pre-paid card, read the fine print on the card’s label.