The astounding news is that, within the last 20 years, the number of international long distance calls from the United States of America has grown from 200 million a year to nearly 6.2 billion per year. This staggering fact may be due to the amount of business and personal communication this country now has with the rest of the world, as well as the technological advancements made in the area of telecommunications within other nations. Whatever the reason, these international calls are a part of the overall reality of being part of a Global community.

Many phone companies have risen to the challenge of providing all the callers of the world with easy and affordable methods of making international long distance calls. Some provide their customers with low international calling plan rates for a flat monthly fee. Others offer lowered minute rates during different times of the day and week and may put limits on the length of each call.

Generally, because international long distance calls are billed by the minute, it is important for you, the caller, to know how many minutes you will be using up per month. You can then compare all the available options out there and take advantage of any low rate and low monthly fee combination. However, if your local phone company cannot provide you with a viable option, you may wish to contact another provider of long distance minutes.

Prepaid and Free International Long Distance Calling Cards

The lowest-priced discount rates often take form in prepaid calling cards, especially those found in convenience stores, newsstands and post offices. These contain a toll-free access code and PIN number to use and can be discarded or refilled after use. Some online calling card companies also offer free international long distance minutes as a reward for being a part of several Internet shopping, survey and referral programs.