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I have used calling cards for years. We get them at a well known large discount store and pay out, because we have an ongoing card, about $5 to reload it each time. We get 100 minutes for that, I believe. Now, you cannot tell the cashier that you want to pay out five bucks for minutes. You have to translate that into minutes for them to be able to charge you for it. That was a side issue but it bugs me. They should know the charge and the minutes. Onward. Calling cards are sometimes not giving you the actual minutes that you bought. Who am I kidding here. They never really give you ALL your minutes.
My calling card is from an extremely well known phone company, not one of those fly by night scheme cards. Still, if we call from a pay phone, at least the last time, it cost us 30 minutes worth of time just to connect to the other phone. But that is nothing compared to what some other companies are doing. Some were charging whether you got an answer on the other end or not. How about extra fees just for calling a cell phone? Cards were being given out that included a large number of minutes but they would deduct minutes if the minutes were not used up during a single call. Cards sometimes expired only a short time after purchase and some that never worked at all. Post call fees, 99 cent hangup fees on cards that had little money on it at all, fees that happened if the card was used more than once, activation fees, maintenance fees, cards that are billed in three and four minute time periods even if the card holder only used it for a minute or less.
It is estimated that cards like that were only giving about 60 percent of the actual worth of the card. That is called fraud at least by some people. The problem is that there are companies out there, like the one that I have a card for, that are up front. That does not mean I like the idea of charging me a half hour of my time on the card just to use a pay phone. That is not right either. However, there is a probable case against the other companies, not so with the one that covers my card. Those fees will be considered fair…by them if no one else. I feel ripped off. I paid for the card and for the minutes long ago. I add to those minutes from time to time. I expect to receive minutes because that’s what I paid for but it ain’t so. And for heaven’s sake, do not let the thing expire or you lose it all!!! Sigh.
Some day, this will all go away. I just know it. In the meanwhile, we bought a cell phone. They charge us for every use except when we call a company cell or they call us. Then it’s no charge except for that pesky little first time of the day call fee. Do you see a pattern here? You cannot get away from it, can you?
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2 Comments
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I have a calling card that doesn’t rip me off, although I admit I don’t use a payphone. I left the details on the website link.
My girlfriend lives in England and I live in Florida, so you can imagine the cost of calls!
Well, with the card I have from a company called Cloncom, I pay $20 and get 28 hours of calling. They charge 49cents/month for admin, and the rate to call England is 1.2cents/minute. I never have problems, been using this card for over a year, and combined with a cell phone which gives me unlimited local calls I”m saving lots of money, since we talk for 2 or more hours most days.
I hope this helps you and others to save some money.
I am glad that you are satisfied with your calling card and that it does what you want it to do. Our calling card comes from a nationally known company. They simply have certain fees. We pay them. But the other cards are less known and from less known companies. These are the ones that can rip you off easily.
Yes, I do think it will help some people who are looking for the right calling card. Ours is AT & T. Thanks for visiting and giving your input.