For one thing, the advent of Reliance into the calling card market in the US has completely changed the equation in the calling card domain. There was a time when everyone used to rigorously find the cheapest and the best card which will have no maintenance fee,no connection fee, no disconnect fee,1 min rounding, local access number etc and etc. Reliance has made life a lot simpler and though it is, may be 3c/min extra, we don't mind too much now. Why is this section then? Reliance, with all its advantages still has its own issues. And, it definitely is not advisable to let Reliance have the monopoly. When you depend on it too much, the day it doesn't connect and you get a busy tone, you are going to be mad at it, or rather yourself, for being too dependant on it. So, this section is to list some of the best peaceful links here which will be comparable to Reliance Calling card in their quality of service. Cost will be the secondary factor but the intention is to post only those links with prices cheaper than Reliance but are either equal or better in quality. | Calling Card Service | Discount/referral code | Avg pricing
/min | Comments /Offers |
Stanacard- Possible Alternative to Reliance:
Stanacard is around for a while now and is offering competitive rates, or rather, almost the same rates as others. A mention here about it is only because it is currently running a promotion where they double the amount, the first time you charge to your account. So, if you sign up with $20, they add $20 and you get $40 worth of calling for $10. So, it is definitely worth thinking about. Also, you can call within US using this card for around 2.6 c/min using a local access number. Enter Referral Code: 123210 to receive this offer or get referred by one of your friends if they are already in. The extra credit will be given only if you sign up using a referral. So, signup and refer your friends.
Also, check out the following VoIP providers if you are planning to have a VoIP line to call both India and within US at cheaper rates. More about VoIP providers is discussed in its own section @ VoIP.
Best Long Distance calling cards to call within US: Long Distance Calling Cards for calling within USA are still in demand as there still are many who would need these cards. Not everyone uses/owns a mobile or a VoIP service to call entire US for free. When I landed in the USA, it was an essential thing to be able to call friends and relatives within US at an affordable price. And, believe it or not, I used the same calling card I call India to call someone in another state and was charged the same price. And so, I was surprised when I heard that the per minute rate to call within US is as cheap as 2.5c/min and lower. So I could talk for an hour using these cards (with much better sound quality) instead of using the int'l calling cards/local grocery calling cards. Even now, I still find these cards useful, say, when I am out of battery on my mobile or the network coverage is lost where I will have to use a payphone. I don't carry a bunch of quarters around with me and so, this option gives me the flexibility to just pick up the phone and call a toll free 1-800 number. Let's get to the list of websites offering these calling cards now.
|