How do ya'll handle long distance?

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At the end of the rope with Sprint long distance. I'm thinking about bagging the whole thing and starting over. Is there a way to get reliable, no monthly fee, long distance with reasonable rates? A way you can get service without having to work through these gargantuan corporations that put you on hold for eeons???

Let's not even talk about taxes and fees! I remember the days when the phone bill was about $10 to $14 a month. Now it's sky high, and I don't use long distance often. It's all fees, taxes, service charges.

Thoughts? Feedback?

-- Had It with Sprint (fed@up.com), September 25, 2000

Answers

I just got slammed by sprint through a relationship they have with Verizon here in the east-the jack-off from verizon spoke to my wife, who explicitly stated NO-then I get a notice in the mail thanking me for becoming a new sprint customer at-get this-30 cents a minute for long distance-with the rates today, someone would have to be a complete moron to sign up for that plan-I got it cancelled, but I have to question the supervisors at both verizon and Sprint-it should be a red flag when the highest possible per minute rate gets put down on a work order. Sprint, Worldcom, and AT and T have all recently been fined by the FTC big money for slamming customers and not revealing all the costs associated with their service.

I have used Working Assets for the last two years. I have had no problem with them-they are very courteous and understanding if you have temporary economic issues. I pay 9 cents a minute 24/7-not the best rate in the world, but 1% of all billings goes to charity. They have been very good and I recommend them.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), September 25, 2000.


Ditto FS on the 'slamming' my sister just got slammed by MCI.

ASK for Pic Protection, and they can NOT switch service UNLESS you fill out the form. They will also send a form for the pic protection.

It is FREE to get the pic protection.

As for Sprint, I've had them 4-ever I get 10 cents per min. 24/7 with their rewards program which gives me various credits w/much used long distance. Sis in California, son in Marblehead, friend in Florida. So it works for me. They will lower their rates, if YOU ASK.....

Sorry to hear bout your problems, and good luck to you.

FS, you have a wonderful idea, however, I am TOO afraid to switch after having soo many problems I opted to Stay w/Sprint.

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), September 25, 2000.


This is what I did. I make few long distance calls, and I got fed up with being billed $5.00 a month from AT&T even when I made no calls.

Inform your phone company that you want NO long distance provider. Then look for a good 10-10 type provider. Silly... I don't know what to call these services, but it's where you dial one of those 7-digit sequences before the phone number. You pay ONLY for the calls you make. No more here a fee, there a fee, everywhere a fee fee.

The one I use is "PT-1". You dial the prefix 101-6868 for 7.9 cents a minute, but I know there are cheaper ones too esp. if you call Canada and overseas. Actually, PT-1 does tack on one surcharge which is 6% of my LD calls; no charge if I make no calls... seems fair enough. Be sure to check what surcharges a service has, because they do vary. (No I have no interest in this company.)

-- Debbie (dbspence@usa.net), September 25, 2000.


Try here: LowerMyBills.com

I currently use ATN Ultracall (6.9 cents/no fee) but it looks like OPEX (4.9 cents/no fee) is a little cheaper right now.

Good luck,

-- Don't Make Assumptions (question@everything.xxx), September 25, 2000.


I cancelled my AT&T as well, Debbie. I use the services advertised on T.V. [although I can never remember the numbers of the prefixes.] If I think I'm going to talk for almost 20 minutes, I use the one that says it's .99 for 20 minutes. If I think I'm NOT going to talk that long, I use the other one. Outside of that, one can try the free online services like DIALPAD.COM, etc. Just remember that you need to use earphones or the other party will hear an echo. I call long-distance so rarely that I grew tired of paying bills just to have the service. By the time they added taxes, it grew FAR above $5.00/month.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), September 25, 2000.


I use 10-10-399. No taxes, monthly fees or service charges. In-state calls cost .50 for the first 20 minutes and out-of-state runs .90 for 20 minutes. Then it's .04 a minute afterwards. The only drawback is when you call someone and get an answering machine - you end up paying the full .50 or .90 for a one minute call which is somewhat exorbitant. I averaged it out once and figured I was paying .07 a minute when all was said and done and the answering machine calls were thrown into the mix.

-- save ($$$@$$$.com), September 25, 2000.

I chose "no carrier" on my house phone and I get free long distance on my cell phone. If you have a cell phone, it's the way to go if your service offers it. I use my cell phone for my voice mail also. It's much cheaper than on my land line. Some pre-paid calling cards are dirt cheap also.

I try to use email as much as possible.

-- (doomerstomper@usa.net), September 25, 2000.


I use my cell phone, too, as the long distance was free with it. If I call from home (rarely), I use one of those 10-10 numbers.

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), September 25, 2000.


Screw that stuff. I make all my long distance calls free on dialpad.com. Can't beat the price.

-- cheapass (fuck.the.@phone.companies), September 25, 2000.

I use 10-10-DOOMZIE, the only bad thing is the operator sounds suspiciously like Old Git.

-- butt nugget (catsbutt@umailme.com), September 25, 2000.


now this was a practical and helpful thread.

-- JoseMiami (josenmiami@yahoo.com), September 26, 2000.

Hey thanks everyone! I'm going to try a 10-10.

-- Had It with Spring (fed@up.com), September 26, 2000.

As a side note to the 10-10 numbers, my friend's mom buys a calling card from a discount store, calls to make sure i'm home then calls back to utilize the 20 minutes.

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), September 26, 2000.

Keep in mind that some (all?) phone companies will actually charge you a fee for not having a long distance carrier.

-- (hmm@hmm.hmm), September 26, 2000.

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