Many phone cards have an expiration date. Normally the “Term” or time service begins the first time the card is used. Typical length of term ranges from 14 days to one year but most commonly is 90 days. Generally all unused minutes are lost when the card expires. MyCyberCard account balances never expire and are always available for use without restriction.

Connection fees are a single charge for initiating a single call. Each and every time you use the card and your party answers, you will be charged a connection fee, which will be deducted from the available minutes on the card. This amount is deducted from the card value either in money or in minutes. If a calling card has a very low per minute rate, the chances are it has either a high connection fee or a surcharge. It is a logical extension that cards with a connection fee are hopeless for short duration phone calls whereas they may be highly effective for long duration calling. MyCyberCard does NOT use connection fees.

Incomplete time increments are always rounded up to the next highest time unit. So if your time increment is 6 minutes and you make a 15-second call - you will be charged for the entire 6 minutes. See Billing increments above for more details. MyCyberCard rounds up to the next highest one minute only.

Some cards advertise low minute rates but in small print list a 20% surcharge for what would be the equivalent of a shipping and handling fee. Do not be fooled by low minute increments if a surcharge “may be applied.” This is the number one way phone card companies scam the public.

This is a marketing tool many phone card companies use to sell their product. Some companies charge a separate “connection fee” to place a call. The most common fee is 49 cents. This allows them a large frontload of “minutes” to guarantee income. For example, a phone card advertising phone calls within the United States for 1 penny per minute, but charge a 49 cent connection fee may actually cost you 14 cents per minute if the call only lasts 3 minutes. (49 cents + 3 cents=52 cents. Divide 52 cents for the call by 3 minutes= 14 cents per minute. Making short duration calls with this type of card can be very expensive. You should use this type of card to make long duration calls particularly to International destinations. MyCyberCard does not charge a connection fee.

Calling cards come in three forms:
1	Actual plastic phone card
2	Actual plastic phone card and an e-mail PIN
3	PIN only (no plastic)
There CAN be a delivery charge if you are going to get the plastic variety. Normally this is the shipping and handling fee but it could be courier charge. MyCyberCard is a virtual card and no delivery charges apply.

You can pay for calling cards by all the traditional methods. Sometimes there is a financial charge - for example if you are buying a $20 card there is no point in paying a $15 charge for the privilege of paying for it by wire transfer. Do not buy low value cards if there is a finance charge. You will not be getting bang for your buck.