Even with all the new ways of staying in touch with friends and family from all over the world, prepaid calling cards is still the #1 way of doing so. Despite all the bad press calling cards has received there are many reliable providers with honest business practices and integrity. Here are some tips and practical advice for purchasing reliable cards as well as find a reputable company:

1. Never pay in cash

Pay with a major credit card or if possible PayPal. Both payment methods offer consumers protection from purchases that do not perform as advertised. If you've never heard of PayPal before it is an online payment company that is a part of eBay, the auction website giant.

2. Look at the company history and longevity of the calling card provider

Okay, so this is probably a given. However, it does makes sense to purchase from any company that has been in the industry for many years. Companies that have a strong endurance in such a usually offer 24/7 customer service - a good sign you're dealing with a professional business.

3. Purchase directly from a service provider and not a wholesaler

This one is a little bit tricky. Because there are some wholesalers that do sell great products and offer excellent customer service. But I always recommend consumers that they purchase a prepaid calling card from a company that offers their own brand labeled products. How can you tell the difference? Companies that sell calling cards directly offer the least amount of product choices, as few as 5 for a specific country. Wholesalers carry around 10 to 15 product choices, because they buy in bulk from distributors. Stick with the company that sells direct, this way you'll be saving some money.

4. Look for benefits

If you're going to buy something quite often then you might as well earn some benefits. There are companies offering rewards points for purchases that can be redeemed for discounts. Look for a company that offers 100% guarantee on all of their products in case of faulty service issues. Many offer incentives and bonuses to attract customers and you should certainly take advantage of it.

Finally you should read all the fine print that is attached to a calling card. All the information should be up front and super easy to understand. If you come across one with a long list of legal jargon then give it a pass and find one more to your liking.