How to Find the Best Calling Rates to India

Find the best calling rates to India by taking the time to compare your options. These options differ depending on whether you dial from your mobile phone, your landline or from your computer. There are sometimes variations on whether you are dialing a mobile phone or landline in Inda. Choose from monthly plans, prepaid plans or access numbers.

Instructions

Compare Your Options

1. Use a comparison site such as CheapestInternationalCalls.com to do a quick comparison of calling prices to India. Its searches cover both mobile phone and landline call options.

2. Explore your options on India LD website. India LD specializes in calls to India. Choose a plan that best suits your needs -- from just 25 cents per 60 minute call to monthly plans with a given minute limit to unlimited to one specific India phone number. There are monthly calling plans or pay-as-you-plans.

3. Search the INT Calling website for international calling card options. Input whether you are calling India or an India cell or landline, and choose a prepaid card that suits your requirements. Fees and surcharges are deducted from the available time on the card, so read the fine print.

4. Figure out whether Voice Over Internet Protocal (VoIP) phone service meets your needs. VoIP uses your computer connection to make phone calls. LocalPhone website, for example, uses VoIP for calls to India. But, there are other VoIP providers, so do your homework. LocalPhone offers a free five minute first call so you can see the quality of your connection through its service. You pay-as-you-go with either your mobile phone or landline.

Access Numbers

1. Use the drop-down list on a website such as Cheapest International Calls to find access numbers for calling India.

2. Choose whether you wish to call to a landline or mobile phone in India. Scroll for your access options which are listed according to price per minute -- lowest to highest.

3. Secure the permission of the person who pays the phone bill on the line you plan to use before dialing. Call the access number you chose.

4. Dial the number you wish to reach in India. Your carrier will bill you for this call. Whatever the cost of using the access number is included in the advertised rate, so there are no surprises. Networks charge a connection fee of 9 to 12.5 cents. Virgin's connection fee is a bit higher, however.

Tips & Warnings

• Note that international access numbers begin with 08 or 09.

• Some complain about the quality of VoIP connections. Service quality may vary widely. Before you invest heavily in VoIP, test it to see that it meets your specific calling needs.

• Access phone services begin their fee as soon as you get on the network. If you get a busy or the call is delayed going through, hang up and try again later rather than pay for a call that never materializes.

References

• Cheapest Internationa Calls: Cheapest International Calls
• Cheapest International Calls: Cheapest International Access Numbers Explained
• Cheapest International Calls: Call From Your Landline: Call From Your Mobile
• India LD: Call India From the US For Under A Penny Per Minute!
• INT Calling; International Calling Cards
• Local Phone: Amazingly Cheap International Calls

Resources

• Vodaphone India: Vodafone Prepaid Cellphone connection
• Calling Cards: Search Prepaid Calling Cards