covert@covert.enet.dec.com (John R. Covert 24-Aug-1989 0002) (08/24/89)
>Calling from Europe to the US has always been ridiculously more expensive than >the other way around. I have an AT&T Card and I was wondering if it would cost >less if I used the AT&T card instead of calling on a European bill. In other >words would AT&T charge me the US rates or European rates if calling from >Europe by means of the AT&T card? > >Moderator's Note: AT&T would charge you whatever the local PTT charged-back >to them for the call. Its the local PTT which is selling you the service, >and they cooperate with other telcos (and LD carriers) as a courtesy and >convenience in billing matters. In other words, having an AT&T/Sprint/MCI >Calling Card would save you nothing. Now if you use the 'USA Direct' service >available in many countries, that *is* less expensive because you are dealing >with the local PTT only for a 'local call' to the nearest AT&T point of >presence. And AT&T picks up the charges for your call to them from whatever >country you are in. PT Sorry, Patrick, but you're wrong. Is this "make up a fact" day? When calling back to the U.S. using an AT&T calling card (except from Canada), you pay the U.S. rate, not the other country's rate. In fact, you pay the same rate whether you use USA-Direct or the local PTT operator. The advantages of USA-Direct are only: 1. It's usually much faster than operators in other countries. 2. It often fakes hotels out on ridiculous surcharges. 3. No language problem. 4. Some countries don't allow credit card calls to the U.S. (Germany is one example) but do have USA-Direct. When you call the U.S. you will pay the operator assisted overseas rate. You will pay either the standard or the discount rate, never the economy rate. The time and days during which the discount rate applies are usually different than the times from the U.S. to the overseas country, and are determined by the time at the location you're calling from. This is true for ALL countries except Canada. (I have the bills to prove it, but if you don't believe me, call AT&T's International Information Service at 800 874-4000.) Unlike domestic rates, the AT&T overseas operator assisted rate is always a three minute minimum at the standard rate with a hefty surcharge, so it's usually best to make a short call paying locally (since most other countries bill in message units) to make sure the person you want to talk to is there, and then, if you can't get the person to call you back, make your credit card or USA-Direct call. I know MCI now has MCI-Direct, but other than that, does anyone have any evidence that it's possible to use any carrier other than AT&T for collect or credit card calls to the U.S. from overseas? /john [Moderator's Note: You are in error in saying that the rate for calls from other countries to the United States is detirmined by AT&T. Apparently what you are claiming is that AT&T sets the rates for all the telcos everywhere in the world when the calls are made on AT&T cards. Now it so happens that in some cases the rates are the same in both directions, allowing for money conversion; but this has *nothing* to do with the fact that the call is billed to an AT&T card. You say your phone bills 'will prove it', however I sincerely doubt you can produce a phone bills showing a call from every country in the world to the same phone in the United States and a bill showing a call in the opposite direction where the price, considering conversion from local currency, is the same. The various PTT's set their rates and terms. AT&T does not dictate to them and tell them what they can or cannot charge. In some countries, AT&T cards are not even accepted! And on a call to the Customer Information Center, I was told it was precisely because of this lack of control by AT&T over how foreign PTT's operate (and charge) that USA Direct was started. It is *only* on USA Direct calls that the calling card rate is the same coming here as it is in calls going there. PT]