Are you constantly away from home, yet want to keep in touch but can’t because of the costs and hassle that it takes? Gone are those days. You no longer have to fall in line to get to a phone booth where you have to make sure that you have the exact amount of money to make a call; a call that will only last you a few minutes. No more having to worry about having heavy pockets because you carry around a handful of loose change just so you can call home. There’s also no more worrying about having to find a public phone where you can use that phone card. No more wondering about how much you credit you have left on your international calling card. No more having to have a conversation cut short because you’ve run out of credit.

All of this is possible with an international SIM card. With a global SIM cards, you can have network access on your mobile phone no matter where you are in the world. This makes it possible to be in touch with people all the time, wherever you are! International SIM cards serve the same function as regular SIM cards do, except they provide you with a roaming feature that allows you to make and take international calls and text messages whether you’re in Ibiza today and Singapore tomorrow. International call and text rates may vary depending on the mobile service provider but one thing is for sure: it will be a lot cheaper than standard telephone rates.

An international SIM card is a must have for everyone who frequently makes trips out of his home country. It is a cost saving way to stay in touch with the people and stay updated. Keeping up with the latest no longer has to mean putting a hole in your pocket.

Did you know that it’s possible to make free international calls from your computer? That’s right – as long as you have an internet connection and the right hardware on your computer, it is really easy to make totally free international long distance calls.

You can now talk to your friends and relatives overseas for free using some simple software available on the internet. You should have a broadband internet connection for the best call quality, but it is possible to make calls over a dial up connection.

Here’s how to make free international calls over the internet:

• First of all, make sure your computer has a sound card with a speaker and microphone jack.

Look at the back of your PC and see where your speakers are connected; this is your sound card. A sound card usually has three small “holes” that are usually color coded light blue, light green and/or light pink. If you look carefully you might see symbols next to each hole indicating a microphone and speakers. Most computers that are under 5 years old will have a sound card.

• If you have speakers connected, purchase a computer microphone and connect it to the microphone jack on your sound card.

If you don’t have speakers, or want to have better sound quality, purchase a computer headset with microphone and connect it to the appropriate jacks on your sound card.

• Download free internet phone software from the VoIP provider of your choice. VoIP stands for “Voice Over Internet Protocol”, which is the method for making phone calls over the internet.

Popular VoIP internet phone service providers are Skype, Gizmo, Net2Phone and WebPhone. It doesn’t matter which one you use – the important thing is that everyone you talk with uses the same VoIP provider.

• Install the software and register for a free account. Remember the user name you choose, as this is how the people you call will know you.

• Start the software and follow the instructions to configure your equipment and make a free test call to make sure everything is set up correctly.

• When your equipment and software is set up and the test call is fine, email your friends and family and ask them to do the same thing you did – get a headset or microphone and speakers, go to the VoIP provider’s website to download and install the software, set up a free account and make a test call.

• Share your VoIP internet phone service user name with everyone you want to make calls with. Everyone should enter each other’s user names into the VoIP software’s “contacts” list. This is how you will “dial” and connect with your international friends and family.

• Email your friends and/or family and decide on a time to talk. Make sure both parties are online, and that everyone has their internet phone service software running.

• Make your long distance calls by clicking on the person’s user name within your contact list and then clicking the “dial” icon within the program. You will hear a ringing sound on your side, and the other party will hear the ringing also. They may also see a message on their computer screen telling them that you are trying to call.

• When the person you are calling clicks on the “answer” icon on his/her internet phone service software, you will be connected. You can then talk to each other over the internet for free.

• When done talking, simply click the “hang up” icon on the VoIP software.

This type of VoIP internet phone service is called “softphone” because it requires a computer and software to make phone calls over the internet. Calls between users of the same VoIP service provider (i.e. Skype, Net2Phone, Gizmo, etc…) are always free, so it’s easy to keep in touch with international friends and relatives. If desired, you can hook up an inexpensive webcam and make free international video phone calls too!

With the right International SIM Card, here are some of the features you can look forward to:

*Friends and family can call you for free- An International SIM card may not be a mobile phone number from your home country. As such, this may require people to dial an international mobile to reach you. Many of the better International SIM companies provide a free-call service. Those who you give the free call number to can call you for free, and you will pay a small incoming call fee yourself.

*Language translation means you always understand- Some International SIM companies, understanding the importance on communication and understanding, provide a language translation service so that you can always be understood- whether ordering a taxi, ordering phone or making that important business deal.

*Cheaper rates on the same networks as other carriers- Despite the substantial savings you make with an International SIM card, you do not have to worry about inferior quality service. Through sound business deals and great technology, the best International SIM cards are able to utilize the best networks in each country.

*You can check and top up your balance online, or from the handset- The best International Roaming SIM cards will enable you to top up in at least two ways- from the handset and online. Topping up from the handset is great if you are not near the internet, but when you get to the Internet Café, you can keep track of your calls and see how much each call is costing.

Telecommunications technology is constantly evolving, and one of the best technologies to come out recently is the International SIM card. If you are planning on traveling, get yours before you go.

Hamish Jones specializes in International Telecommunications Solutions.

With the right International SIM Card, here are some of the features you can look forward to:

*Friends and family can call you for free- An International SIM card may not be a mobile phone number from your home country. As such, this may require people to dial an international mobile to reach you. Many of the better International SIM companies provide a free-call service. Those who you give the free call number to can call you for free, and you will pay a small incoming call fee yourself.

*Language translation means you always understand- Some International SIM companies, understanding the importance on communication and understanding, provide a language translation service so that you can always be understood- whether ordering a taxi, ordering phone or making that important business deal.

*Cheaper rates on the same networks as other carriers- Despite the substantial savings you make with an International SIM card, you do not have to worry about inferior quality service. Through sound business deals and great technology, the best International SIM cards are able to utilize the best networks in each country.

*You can check and top up your balance online, or from the handset- The best International Roaming SIM cards will enable you to top up in at least two ways- from the handset and online. Topping up from the handset is great if you are not near the internet, but when you get to the Internet Café, you can keep track of your calls and see how much each call is costing.

Telecommunications technology is constantly evolving, and one of the best technologies to come out recently is the International SIM card. If you are planning on traveling, get yours before you go.

Hamish Jones specializes in International Telecommunications Solutions.

Are you missing somebody at home? Or is your sweetheart out of the country? The best way to make international calls (or long-distance calls) is by using an international calling card. Such telephone cards were introduced to make long distance calls simple and effortless. But they have slowly developed into the cheapest way of making telephone calls from one country to another, owing to the increase in the number of private telecom companies and their price wars.

Before the advent of calling cards, it required a lot of time, money and preparation to make an international call, and involved contemplation on how much should be spent, how to convey maximum information in the shortest time, and how many minutes that would take.

Today’s international calling cards are activated either by entering a pin number into a toll free number, or by placing a call from a number that is pre-registered. A secret pin number can be used to activate some cards. Others use a combination of any of these methods. You can pay for these cards online, or by cash or credit cards. Many cards are prepaid and will automatically hang up once you have used the allocated amount of time. But there are some calling cards that allow you to extend the time of call by paying extra, even after the allocated amount is used up.

There are many calling card operators on the web as well as in your neighborhood. You need to be judicious while buying a card, and choose your operator prudently. You have to check the reliability, rates and time slabs offered by each operator and for different countries. Customer service standards of the operator have to be taken into consideration; also, avoid any problematic pin codes or disrupted voice lines.

You know most people could not tell you how to make International Calls. This question is commonly asked. Actually, it took me a minute to think about it… So, I thought for those folks out there that, probably don’t make a lot of international calls on a regular basis, but might want to know how , I put together some very simple steps on how to make an international call.

How to Make An International Call:

1. You have to know the International Call Prefix. This code allows you to dial outside of the country you are calling from. The code is different for each Country, these are the first digits you will punch in when you hear a dial tone.

2.The next numbers will be the Country Code of the country you are calling. Depending on the country this code can be different depending on whether you are calling a cell phone or a regular fixed phone. Some lager countries have different country codes based on regions and geography.

This digit will be between 1 and 3 numbers.

3. Ok, the next numbers are the city codes. Again this number can be between 1 to 3 digets and narrows you call down to specific regions in the country your calling.

4. Last step, dil the local number and you are finished! To sum it all up:

Step 1: Dial International Call Prefix

Step 2: Dial Country Code

Step 3: Dial City Code (area code)

Step 4: Dial Local Number

So calling from my phone in the US to the city of Berlin in Germany it would look like this: 011 + 49 + 30 + (the local number) and Walla! That’s it!