Frequently Asked Questions

The most convenient way is to use our Home Page on the menu above by selecting the country you are calling from the pull down menu and pressing the search button.

First you dial the access number in the city you are in which will be provided with the phone card or email. After dialing this number you will be asked for your PIN number (also provided with the card or email) which you key in on your phone’s keypad. At this point most cards will inform you of your remaining balance and ask you to dial the number you want to call just as you would any on any phone. ie:

Interstate Calls: Area code + Phone Number

International Calls: International Code (0011) + Country Code + City Code + Phone Number

For additional calls, do not hang up simply press # twice or * twice at the completion of your first call. The keys you need to press may vary depending on which card you are using but the card or the recorded message will tell you which key to press.

We send you an email within 3 hours (most of the time, right after your order). If you haven’t received your phone card within 3 hours or you need to make a call urgently, please contact us on 1300 656 298 with your order number, and we can email your PIN to you instantly.

Whenever possible you should usually try to use the local access number provided. Most cards usually have local access numbers in most capital cities in Australia. The local access number cost the same price as local calls i.e.: around 20 cents from a home phone or 40 cents from a payphone for each call. However, some cards may not cover all capital cities or you may be in a country area. In this case if there is a 1300 number provided you should try to use it. The additional per minute cost of using the 1300 number is usually cheaper than using a 1800 number but if you are calling from a payphone you will have to usually deposit coins into the payphone to use the 1300 number or if you are using a private telephone you will usually be charged the price of a local call. Please note that as phone card companies usually have different policies on 1300 and 1800 numbers the above are generalizations and there may be exceptions.

Some phone cards have a connection fee which is a once off charge to your phone card for each call you make. If you tend to talk longer on each call it may be worthwhile to buy cards such as Global Dial, The Australian, Rate Saver, Likom etc. that have a once off connection fee for each call. This is because these cards may have a lower per minute rate. If you tend to make shorter calls it may be worthwhile to buy cards with no connection fee eg: Tell Me, Hello, Ephone, Go Talk, Smart Link, In Touch etc. Each card’s connection fee (if any) is listed on our web site.

Some cards may also have an additional surcharge for calling mobile phones in overseas countries.

Yes, you can phone as many as your card’s credit limit will allow you to phone.

In some cases yes. As you look at the notes on each card on our search results page you will find out which cards can be used overseas. The rates do not tend to be a good as the rates offered to call overseas from Australia but they offer the convenience of being able to use one card in many countries. Some cards also offer a call back service to Australia where you can call Australia via toll free numbers from overseas.

Most service providers of phone cards reserve the right to change their rates without prior notice. At Phone Card Selector we try to update our rate tables, within a few days of being given official notification about these changes. We suggest that if you want the exact latest rates then you check these with the customer services number of the particular card in question. There is however no guarantee that rate will remain the same. We find however that rates changes are not frequent.

Yes. You should go as far as the credit card screen and then print your details (we suggest you also make a copy for yourself). You can either send us your credit card details using the form or send us a cheque. Please note that cheques should be made payable to Phone Card Selector and marked not negotiable. We only accept Australian cheques.

Yes. Cards expire within 180 days from first use. This information is usually provided on each card or on our terms and conditions page for each card. Alternatively, the card’s customer service department will be able to tell you.

Simply top up your phone card and the balance prior to expiration will be carried forward onto your top-up amount. For example: Your phone card expires with $5.72 remaining, you top it up for $10, your phone card now has a balance of $15.72 and 180 days before another top-up is required.

Generally speaking, the answer is yes. No telecom supplier can guarantee 100% uptime, but the vast majority of calls get through 1st time.

Whilst the vast majority of calls are made with ease and without problems, occasionally you may experience a problem with your card to a particular location. Each phone card supplier have their own customer services department (some are open 24 hours) who can take a look at your specific card in the event of a problem. As we are a reseller of phone cards we do not have access to your card account. However, the customer services for your specific card will have this information. They also have the ability to credit your card, e.g. in the event of a call being prematurely terminated. If you experience any problems with your card you should call this number first.

As a rule, you may use almost any touch-tone phone. There are no guarantees. Some hotels may place a surcharge on free phone access. Although this is rare some hotels may bar the access number.