MetroPCS Offers $5 International Calling Plan

MetroPCS is permitting some of its users to make unlimited international calls for an additional $5 a month.

The carrier specializes in no-contract, prepaid cellular calling service, and it typically has unlimited domestic calling and texting plans for about $40 dollars month. Users with $40, $45, or $50 plans can add the international option and make unlimited calls to more than 100 counties, including 1,000 destinations.

"Unlimited international calling at such an affordable rate can dramatically reduce monthly long-distance costs and is yet another example of MetroPCS' commitment to providing industry-leading value to consumers in today's tough economic climate," said Roger Linquist, CEO of MetroPCS, in a statement. "MetroPCS is eliminating the worry of high international calling fees, counting minutes, and dialing a connecting number, typical of traditional calling cards."

The move could find traction among MetroPCS' customers. Some of them seek out the prepaid provider because there are no long-term commitments or credit checks. As the economy continues to sputter, this is an aggressive move by MetroPCS in an increasingly competitive prepaid market.

While nearly 80% of U.S. consumers have cellular service with AT&T, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, or Verizon Wireless, prepaid-tier carriers such as MetroPCS and Cricket Wireless have shown that the prepaid market is viable. Sprint-owned Boost Mobile made major waves this year by introducing a $50 plan that includes unlimited voice, data, text, and push-to-talk features without a long-term contract. The company said it added more than 700,000 new subscribers in its first full quarter after it implemented the plan.

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