Study Move - Study in Australia Guide

International Calls – prepaid cards

This is probably the easiest and cheapest way to communicate with your friends and relatives overseas. In Australia, it is very common to use prepaid phone cards for international calls. There is a huge range of cards available and you can find them in most newsagencies and convenience stores.

To use these cards you just need to call a local number or 1800 number (which is a free number in Australia) and then dial your home number. It is quite easy but if you have any problems they usually offer phone assistance in various languages.

If you decide to take this option, you should look for a card with the best rate for your home country as most of the cards are specialised in particular regions or countries.

It is also worthwhile to try different cards because the quality of calls may vary a lot with each card. It is a good idea to first buy cards with a low amount of credit (i.e. $5 or $10) so you can try them. It is also important to check if there is a connection fee or other hidden costs to make an international call.

In general, these cards are quite good and affordable. Here is a list of sites with information on pre-paid phone cards for international calls.

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