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Wed 10 Sep, 2003 11:03 am
I live out in the boonies, beyond the embrace of Ma Bell. The local phone company has only 10,000 numbers (although they recently implemented DSL service). Consequently, almost everyone is a toll call.
Furthermore, from my phone company, In State calls are much more expensive than calling across the country!
Until this month the "Dial 000-100-001 + area code + telephone number were not available.
Yesterday I received a letter from a bulm mailing promising me rates of only 3 cents a minute if I dial my calls using their extra numbers.
Is this truly true? Or too good to be true?
I don't know about that specific plan, but I have used other calling cards--one for only 5 cents/minute. And it really worked!
D'artagnan--
This isn't a pre-paid calling card, but a dialing scheme. I just found a website and am going to check that out.
The dialing scheme is unfamliliar to many Americans but in some nations it's not optional (e.g. in Brazil you don't have a long distance plan anymore, you have to dial one in for every long distance call).
I don't know that one in particular but I have used many that work as advertised.
Aha! I've learned something new...
Typically the dialing schemes have a minimum connection time; i.e., you may pay a minimum 30 cents / 10 minutes for every call, even for calls less than one minute in length. I used to use 10-10-320, but it didn't really help my long distance bill--I had too many 50 cent charges for 1 or 2 minute calls.
Well, here in Europe -especially in Germany- we use those dialing schemes a lot.
Some companies are better on local/regional calls, others nations and some are extraordinary good for foreign calls (e.g. USA 6cent/minute = cheaper, than our former state monopolist for regional calls).
However, you never know, when they change their tarifs. (Have to be up-to-date by looking the rates in the papers/on websites.)
For this scheme the connecting fee is $.39. I checked their web site and found that in spite of having targeted this area code, their service is not yet available here.
Jam yesterday, jam tomorrow, but never jam today.
I use a costco calling card at $.035 per minute for all 48 sates and like $.12 to Mexico - I dumped my normal long distance carrier. And I can refill the calling card.
Noddy24 how does it work for you to dial a 800#?
Eight hundred numbers and all mutations of 800 (888, etc.) are free.
This is good.
Last month I direct dialed an area code in California for directory assistance. Last week when I opened the bill, I found I'd been charged $4.95--and the number I wanted was unlisted! I was Not Pleased.
Get to a costco or sams and get yourself a card!
Like Husker, I've used the Calling cards from Costco. Most of 10-10- dial-around number plans have some sort of catch (a monthly charge or an "up-front load" on the specific call charges..). They aren't all rip-offs but some of them are and you have to study them all to sort them out.
The calling cards seem like a lot easier way to go.
Like Husker, I got a calling card from Sam's (600 minutes - $21.95) and fired my long distance carrier. It was MCI, by the way, and they lied about monthly charges and per minute rates - unless it was a special offer with a really limited duration.
roger wrote:Like Husker, I got a calling card from Sam's (600 minutes - $21.95) and fired my long distance carrier. It was MCI, by the way, and they lied about monthly charges and per minute rates - unless it was a special offer with a really limited duration.
when I dropped MCI - I got slammed 3 times.
here's what else I did:
https://www.gephonehome.com/
I have a service with no monthly rate and my service shows a longdistance company attached to me then I signed up for this national thing - "no charge" and no changes can be made to my carrier unless I answer certain per selected security questions, and I cannot be slammed.
When I can remember the organization I'll post it.
600 min for $21.95 is awesome. I wonder if they have that up here? Gotta do some checking, hmmmm.......
What really makes it work for me is the absence of a monthly phone charge. I do so little calling that I would be ahead if MCI had gone to zero cents per minute just on account of the monthly fee for the privilage of making a call if I wanted to.
I hear ya Roger. It's very rare that we make long distance calls and a long distance phone plan is just not needed. I really have to enquire.
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