Prepaid phone cards are an alternative to long distance calling plans or to charging calls made away from home on a credit card. When using a prepaid phone card, you pay in advance for long distance, international calls, or both. Cards are usually sold in dollar amounts ($5, $10, $20, etc) or by blocks of minutes (10, 30, 60, etc). Callers dial a toll-free access number and enter a pin number to make a call. Some calling cards can be recharged either where they were purchased or on the Internet or telephone by credit card.
Prepaid phone cards are easy to find at convenience stores and other retailers, through vending machines, over the Internet, and as fundraisers for charities. Most of the major national phone companies sell prepaid phone cards. Other cards carry the brand name of a retailer, organization or another telecommunications company that has purchased minutes of long distance service at wholesale.
