If you won't be visiting India for the holidays this year, you can still have lots of opportunities to connect with friends and families using one of the many internet calling services that specialize in international long distance. In fact, rates have never been lower.

1. Compare Internet Phone Provider Pricing First Before Calling
Friends and Family This Holiday
If you won't be visiting India for the holidays this year, you can still have lots of
opportunities to connect with friends and families using one of the many internet
calling services that specialize in international long distance. In fact, rates have
never been lower. However, with a wide variety of pricing options, calling plans, and
promotions it can be somewhat confusing to determine what the best service is for
your specific needs. It definitely pays to comparison shop and to make sure that you
understand all of the fees and restrictions before you sign up with any provider. Here
are a few of the best options for calling to India.
MediaRing Talk
With a rate of 1.7 US cents a minute and no connection fees or hidden charges,
MediaRing Talk has the lowest rate for making PC to phone calls to India. PC to PC
calls are free. The company currently has over 2.6 million users and is particularly
popular with consumers who want an easy-to-use service for calling anywhere in the
world that requires no monthly subscription. The service also offers additional
features including instant messaging with presence and multi-user voice
conferencing which can be extremely useful around holiday time for impromptu
family phone get-togethers.
MediaRing Talk is able to offer this low rate because it utilizes a unique business
model that derives income primarily through non-intrusive display advertising. Many
industry experts are predicting that this ad revenue model will eventually be adopted
by other internet phone providers if they want to remain competitive. In the
meantime, MediaRing Talk's innovative approach has made it among the best options
for individuals wanting an inexpensive and flexible solution for calling India.
Skype
Undoubtedly, Skype is the most famous and ubiquitous internet phone provider. Like
MediaRing Talk, it also offers free PC to PC calls, instant messaging, and voice
conferencing. It also includes free video calls for those who have webcams.
For calling landline or mobile phones in India, Skype has two billing options. Their
"Pay As You Go" plan allows users to purchase Skype Credit. Rates to India start at
9.2 US cents a minute plus a connection fee of 3.9 US cents a call. For frequent
callers to India, they also offer subscriptions that start at $14.95 for 300 minutes of
calls per month.
Besides long distance calling, Skype includes a variety of premium services including
voice mail, call forwarding, and an online number to allow others to call you from a
landline or mobile phone to reach you on Skype.
Lingo
Lingo is another internet phone provider that offers an inexpensive option for calling
India. Per minute rates to India are 2.9 cents per minute. The company heavily
promotes its World Max subscription plan that advertises a price of $4.95 for
unlimited calls to over 80 countries including India. Besides unlimited calls, the plan

2. includes voicemail, caller ID with name, call forwarding, caller ID block, 3-way
calling, and a variety of other services.
However, with this plan, it's important to read the small print. After the first month,
the plan's rate jumps to $23.95 per month. They also charge an activation fee and a
$99.95 disconnection fee for cancelling your subscription before the two year
contract has been completed.
Lingo is a good option if you want to primarily use an internet phone service instead
of a landline and if you make regular calls to India or other global destinations. It
might not be the best choice though if you are prone to frequently changing internet
phone providers or if you only make occasional internet phone calls.
Vonage
Vonage is often just thought about as a provider of low-cost domestic phone service,
but they also offer an affordable rate plan that includes unlimited calls to 38
countries. For just over $35.00 per month including service fees, users can make
calls to both landlines and mobile phones in India. It's important to note that there is
an activation fee of $29.95 that must be paid the first month of service. Like with
Lingo, Vonage can save considerable money for those who make a large number of
international calls.
MediaRing Talk, Skype, Lingo, and Vonage all offer low-cost calls to India and other
features that can be extremely useful when trying to stay connected with loved ones
overseas. There are also a growing number of other internet phone providers to
choose from. The key, though, is to compare prices and plans to determine the right
provider for your particular usage pattern. This will enable you to maximize the
money you spend on long distance and provide you with the most satisfaction from
your service provider.
For more information visit our website: http://www.mediaringtalk.com