| ign="center"> | | | | development called 'cherry picking'. Due to the fact that |
| Increasingly, it is common knowledge that there are a | | | | in some countries the range of prefixes is not |
| wide variety of options available for cheap international | | | | standardized, i.e. it is not a reliable way to distinguish |
| calls. With the one exception of internet based calls, | | | | between different mobile networks and/or landlines, |
| others seemingly are merely service providers that | | | | some mistakes can occur with misclassification. Since |
| somehow manage to give out better rates for calling | | | | landline charges are normally much cheaper, when this |
| certain countries as if by magic! Because of this, many | | | | occurs many least cost routing teams would jump at |
| have occasionally found themselves wondering: How | | | | the chance to take advantage of the slip that would |
| is it done? Why is it that these providers can give | | | | allow for considerable profits until the error is |
| massively lower rates, whereas regular phone | | | | corrected. Of course, the provider that made the |
| companies do not? What is their secret? | | | | misclassification can face massive losses. |
| The Blessing of Least Cost Routing | | | | Essentially, when making cheap calls to Turkey, the |
| What has become the modern day miracle of low | | | | cheapest route could very well end up being through, |
| cost calls is made possible through a certain something | | | | for example, a Chinese telecom service, and then a |
| called least cost routing. Being as it is an extremely | | | | Russian one, before heading to Turkey. Truly it's a |
| technical process involving telecoms that span the | | | | marvel that such great savings are possible through |
| globe, the intricacies involved are completely mind | | | | this method. Some calls to Turkey may even make |
| boggling. However it could be described as choosing | | | | use of 'grey routes', that make the call appear to have |
| the cheapest route to get from point A to point B. | | | | originated locally at the far end of it, further reducing |
| If it really was that simple, it would be too easy to be | | | | prices. |
| used. Sometimes the cheapest route to get from point | | | | The least cost routing techniques have truly been a |
| A to point B is to go via point C. Or as an extension, | | | | blessing for all who make cheap international calls. |
| imagine if the cheapest way to get from point A to | | | | Although today VoIP is the new rage and is slowly |
| point B was to go through point C, E, D, and L. With | | | | becoming preferred, as things stand, least cost routing |
| such a host of options and variables to be dissected, | | | | can easily stand on its own two feet in terms of |
| finding the cheapest path is not simple. | | | | pricing. One of the only big downsides that this method |
| One thing that every least cost routing team avoids | | | | has is the fact that due to the calls perhaps being |
| diligently is 'looping', where a route might mistakenly go | | | | rerouted so many times, it could result in the loss of |
| from A to B to A again, thus causing a loop in charges | | | | sound quality. That said, there are normally constant |
| many times over. | | | | efforts to ensure that line quality is of a generally |
| On the slightly more technical side is an even newer | | | | acceptable level while prices remain just as low. |