Joel Spolsky <spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu> (05/05/91)
I just got my AT&T Universal bill, and noticed that over 50% of the cost of my long distance calls is due to the 75 cent per-call surcharge which they tag onto all calling card calls. (I guess their ads claiming you pay "only low AT&T rates" are a little bit dishonest). Are there calling cards without this extra fee? PS: Thanks to all those who answered my question about answering machines in Israel! Joel Spolsky spolsky@cs.yale.edu
Ronald Greenberg <rig@eng.umd.edu> (05/07/91)
In article <telecom11.334.2@eecs.nwu.edu> you write: > I just got my AT&T Universal bill, and noticed that over 50% of the > cost of my long distance calls is due to the 75 cent per-call > surcharge which they tag onto all calling card calls. (I guess their > Are there calling cards without this extra fee? I use ITT as my long distance company. Calls cost the same as from home as long as I call 950-0ITT (then the phone number and authorization code). In theory, 950-0ITT does not work everywhere; in such places you have to call an 800 number and pay a surcharge. But every place I have wanted to call from, the 950 number has worked; basically any reasonable metropolitan area should be no problem. Ron Greenberg rig@eng.umd.edu
Greg Oliveau <oliveau%tdycapd@uunet.uu.net> (05/07/91)
spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu (Joel Spolsky) writes: > I just got my AT&T Universal bill, and noticed that over 50% of the > cost of my long distance calls is due to the 75 cent per-call > surcharge which they tag onto all calling card calls. (I guess their > ads claiming you pay "only low AT&T rates" are a little bit > dishonest). > Are there calling cards without this extra fee? Hmm. I don't think my USSprint card has a fee - at least it's not itemized as such. Probably the 'setup' charge is hidden in the first three minutes of use. Greg Oliveau Voice 213.820.4616.x2598 Teledyne Controls, Fax 213.820.0183 Commercial Aircraft Products Division
"David E. Sheafer, Class of 1989" <nin15b0b@stan.merrimack.edu> (05/07/91)
In article <telecom11.339.4@eecs.nwu.edu>, oliveau%tdycapd@uunet.uu. net (Greg Oliveau) writes: > spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu (Joel Spolsky) writes: >> Are there calling cards without this extra fee? > Hmm. I don't think my USSprint card has a fee - at least it's not > itemized as such. Probably the 'setup' charge is hidden in the first > three minutes of use. The US Spring FONcard charges .50, .75 or 1.25 for the call depending on if it is interLATA call or an IntraLATA call and if you are using a rotary phone. If memory serves me right most calls are charged an additional .75, same as AT&T. David E. Sheafer internet: nin15b0b@merrimack.edu or uucp: samsung!hubdub!nin15b0b GEnie: D.SHEAFER Cleveland Freenet: ap345
johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us (John R. Levine) (05/07/91)
In article <telecom11.339.4@eecs.nwu.edu> you write: > Hmm. I don't think my USSprint card has a fee - at least it's not > itemized as such. FON card calls are surcharged about 75 cents, similar to AT&T and MCI calls. If you have Sprint Plus, the volume discount plan, FON card calls are counted toward the total call volume that determines the discount for direct dialed calls, but the FON card calls themselves don't get the discount. Regards, John Levine, johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us, {spdcc|ima|world}!iecc!johnl
carols@world.std.com (Carol Springs) (05/10/91)
In article <telecom11.343.8@eecs.nwu.edu>, John Levine writes: > If you have Sprint Plus, the volume discount plan, FON card > calls are counted toward the total call volume that determines the > discount for direct dialed calls, but the FON card calls themselves > don't get the discount. If you make, say, $25 worth of calls and get a ten per cent volume discount, the FONcard charges are indeed discounted at ten per cent as well. For example, on a recent bill, my pre-tax charges for 1+ calls were $21 and my FONcard calls were $6.20, for a total of $27.20. The discount was $2.72. Aside from the 75-cent surcharge, the bad thing about FONcard calls under Sprint Plus is that night rates do not start at 5:00 p.m. the way they do with 1+ calls. Carol Springs carols@world.std.com
K_MULLHOLAND@unhh.unh.edu (KATH MULLHOLAND) (05/10/91)
Our Sprint rep just visited us today, and said the FonCard charge was 25c per call. This may be just for us because we are on VPN, however. Kath Mullholand UNH Durham, NH
dave@westmark.westmark.com (Dave Levenson) (05/11/91)
In article <telecom11.334.2@eecs.nwu.edu>, spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu (Joel Spolsky) writes: > I just got my AT&T Universal bill, and noticed that over 50% of the > cost of my long distance calls is due to the 75 cent per-call > surcharge which they tag onto all calling card calls. (I guess their > ads claiming you pay "only low AT&T rates" are a little bit > dishonest). Misleading, but technically not dishonest! "Low AT&T rates" have included a surcharge for calling card calls for some time. > Are there calling cards without this extra fee? I recently spent some time researching this question. It appears that a little-advertised but viable long distance carrier called "Cable and Wireless" offers calling cards with no per-call surcharge. Having just lost MCI's "around town" feature, I have asked C & W to take over as our default carrier, and to send me enough of their calling cards for our employees. As soon as we've used their service for a little while, I'll post a review of the service. Dave Levenson Internet: dave@westmark.com Westmark, Inc. UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave Warren, NJ, USA AT&T Mail: !westmark!dave Voice: 908 647 0900 Fax: 908 647 6857
carroll@cs.washington.edu> (05/14/91)
In article <telecom11.334.2@eecs.nwu.edu> spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu (Joel Spolsky) writes: > I just got my AT&T Universal bill, and noticed that over 50% of the > cost of my long distance calls is due to the 75 cent per-call > surcharge which they tag onto all calling card calls. (I guess their > ads claiming you pay "only low AT&T rates" are a little bit > dishonest). > Are there calling cards without this extra fee? I don't honestly know whether this is the case any more since I turned over bill-paying to my wife several months ago, but it used to be that Sprint charged no more for "calling card" calls than for calls from home. In fact, it *used* to be that you dialed both kinds of call the same way. And it *used* to be that Sprint was a whole hell of a lot cheaper than AT&T ... Jeff Carroll carroll@ssc-vax.boeing.com
Peter Thurston <thurston@mrc-applied-psychology.cambridge.ac.uk> (05/15/91)
Well here in the UK British Telecom (now BT), has just dropped the 20p surcharge - if that's any help! Peter Thurston
Christopher Lott <cml@cs.umd.edu> (05/15/91)
In article <telecom11.356.10@eecs.nwu.edu> is written: > a little-advertised but viable long distance carrier called "Cable and > Wireless" offers calling cards with no per-call surcharge. I called their customer service number (800-486-8686). Reps are not exactly on the ball, but after some messing around, I got some information. A traditional calling card, something like a Sprint FON Card, is apparently available only once you have 1+ service or designate them as a secondary carrier. They won't set one up the way Spring and MCI will. Anyhow, I got some quotes. "Regular" long distance service (using their network from home phone): Maryland (301-69) to Ohio (614-48) night rates $.12/min (par) "Focus 3" service is geared towards businesses; rates are better in the day Above call using this service at night was about $.15/min (poor) "Travel Service" is the calling card $.80 per call fee $.49 per minute, no matter where you call (time insensitive also?) So I dunno who told you about the "no fee calling card" or whether you made a Deal, but a no-fee calling card doesn't seem to be available to me. Or maybe I was misinformed. Christopher Lott \/ Dept of Comp Sci, Univ of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 cml@cs.umd.edu /\ 4122 AV Williams Bldg 301 405-2721 <standard disclaimers>