International dialing need not take a heavy toll on your savings. If you're spending a semester abroad, or embarking on a long vacation overseas, or if you travel for business frequently, you can drastically reduce your phone bill by keeping in mind the following suggestions for international cheap calls.

1. Smile While You Dial: How To Reduce That International Phone Bill
International dialing need not take a heavy toll on your savings. If you're spending a
semester abroad, or embarking on a long vacation overseas, or if you travel for business
frequently, you can drastically reduce your phone bill by keeping in mind the following
suggestions for international cheap calls.
Never sign a phone contract without first reading the fine print. For example, if you will
be making frequent calls to Australia while you're away, you want to make sure that
Australia is one of the countries included within your cheap international calling plan.
You also want to ensure that no hidden fees, such as connection fees, are included.
Don't leave your phone at home. Some people believe that if they don't take their
phones with them, they will be free of the temptation to make calls and therefore they
will save money. However, if you find that you need to call home because of an
emergency, you might have to make that call from your hotel, and the fee will probably
be enormous. Plus, you don't want to miss important messages from work.
If you're being charged for incoming calls, try to direct as many of those calls to your
voice-mail as you can. Only pick up if you recognize the number and you feel that it's
someone you really need to speak to. And don't listen to your voice-mail messages until
you return home. The simple act of listening to a message when you're in a foreign
nation can be surprisingly expensive. You can also deactivate your voice-mail system,
which is an economical option if you're charged every time someone leaves a message.
However, when you deactivate your voice-mail you run the risk of missing urgent
messages.
Work on reducing your phone time. When you want to get in touch with someone, try
using email, Skype or Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) rather than your mobile. In
addition, make a list of everything you need to say to someone before you dial, and
don't be shy about saying that you have to hang up because you don't want to pay
overage charges. Your friends and family members will understand, so long as you are
polite about the matter. Also, before you depart, explain to as many people as you can
that you're going away, and that it would help if they not try to reach you by phone until
you return home, unless they absolutely must.
Another option for cheap International Dialing is to purchase a pay-as-you-go SIM
(Subscriber Identity Module) card. When you pay ahead of time for phone minutes, you

2. will not – in most instances, anyway – be charged for incoming calls, and your local calls
will be much more cost-efficient as well.
For more information regarding International Dialing and International Calling visit our
website gotalk.com.au