I see a lot of the same calling card myths come up again and again, so I thought I'd address three of them today.

1. Your calling card has to be provided by your long distance provider (other versions include "Calling cards will change my long distance provider or other phone settings,"). FALSE.

Reputable calling cards are just legal dial-around services - they make the call for you over the most cost-effective lines and systems, with no changes at all to your existing phone services, plan, or provider.

2. You can't buy calling cards to be used from foreign countries in the U.S. FALSE.

In fact, you can get a better rate than most stores would offer you by buying your calling card online. Just make sure to enter the correct origination country when you search for rates (for example, if you will be using the card to call from India to Canada, make sure to put those countries in the correct areas of the search box).

3. You can't use calling cards with cell phones. Once again, FALSE, mostly.

You should be able to use your calling card from your cell phone with no difficulty at all. If you are calling to a cell phone, be aware that some cell phone carriers may restrict your calls, and higher rates may apply (as determined by the cell phone carrier).

So, enjoy your prepaid calling cards with confidence, call anywhere in the world, and call to or from a cell phone as much as you like. If you have questions about specific calling cards, just leave them for me in the comments and I will be happy to respond to them.