If you have done any research into the confusing world of long
distance telephone rates, you have discovered that conventional long
distance is expensive compared to almost any of the alternatives. This
is especially true when you factor in the extra fees and taxes added on
by governments.
Conventional phone companies rely on people being
either uninformed or unmotivated to check out the alternatives.
Usually they bundle long distance with local services so you are
never quite sure how much your long distance service is costing.
For
instance, many consumers sign up for a local plan that includes
unlimited long distance calling. They usually pay between $50 and $70
for this package. But they could get the same level of service for much
less money by staying with
a $20-$30/month local package and using a dial around plan that
charges only 1.9 cents/minute for calls to the USA and Canada.
Phone
Cards - a solution with serious limitations
One alternative
to conventional long distance service is to purchase a prepaid phone
card. These cards are often purchased
online. After signing up you are sent an account number and PIN
which allow you to access the long distance system.
Having a phone
card lets you place long distance calls by calling a toll free access
number, entering your account information, and then dialing the number
you want to call.
Some of the features and shortcomings of phone
cards are as follows:
- Phone cards are often country or region specific. It is difficult to
find one card that gives you good rates to multiple countries or
regions.
- They are good for short term situations like traveling, or for
occasional use
- Calling can be cumbersome unless you can find a "PIN-less" phone
card.
- Charges can be higher than expected because of hidden fees and
taxes.
- Calls can be more expensive because of longer call duration rounding
intervals. A 6.5 minute call will be billed as 7 minutes if a 1 minute
rounding interval is used. But it will be billed as 9 minutes if they
use a 3 minute interval.
- Phone cards often have a higher minimum call duration. Some cards
charge a minimum of one rounding interval for every call, even it is not
completed.
Dial Around Plans - a much better alternative
A
much better alternative is what is called a dial around plan.
They are called "dial around plans" because you use a local number or
toll free number to bypass or "dial around" the conventional phone
company. You call the special access number, and once you get a dial
tone you dial the area code and number of the party you are calling.Here
are some of the features you can get with a
quality dial around plan
- With good plans you only pay for minutes used. There are no fees,
taxes, or hidden charges.
- No monthly minimum charge or account fee.
- Very low long distance rates, including low domestic rates to the
USA and Canada.
- Savings are substantial - from 50% to 90% less than conventional
long distance.
- Quality plans do not require a caller to enter an account number or
PIN when calling from registered numbers. You can register as many as 10
phone numbers with your account.
- Connection quality is comparable to conventional long distance.
- Some plans (higher quality ones) give you free online account
management including real time call history. This lets you see the
details of every call -- the number called, time and date of the call,
duration, and cost.
- Dial around plans can be used at home, with a cell phone, or while
traveling in the USA.
Summary - Dial Around Plans are much more versatile
While
it is true that phone cards provide a convenience when traveling, dial
around plans offer a better and cheaper long distance alternative for
anyone who uses long distance service on a regular basis.