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| | | With a little research, it is usually possible to find long-distance service for up to 70 percent cheaper than what large carriers charge. | | |
| Typical costs: | - Per-minute long-distance rates range from 2.5 cents per minute to about 18 cents per minute, and monthly fees vary from none to $8.95 or more. SaveOnPhone.com offers a comparison chart of long-distance service providers.
- ECG ranks highest, at 2.5 cents per minute state-to-state with no monthly free or minimum usage charge; it is available in 85 percent of the country.
- Cognistate came in second at 2.7 cents per minute state-to-state and no monthly fee if you make at least $20 worth of calls or use online billing; otherwise, it costs $2 per month. For consumers living outside the ECG service area, Total Call International is recommended because it serves almost the whole country with an interstate rate of 3.9 cents a minute and no monthly fee or minimum usage requirements.
- Tip: If you make international calls, it is important to make sure you are signed up for an international rate; otherwise, the phone company might charge you an exorbitant default rate. Unless you plan to use a calling card, research plans carefully to see which company offers the best rates to the countries you call regularly; plans vary widely by country. In general, though,Consumer Search recommends 3U Telecom for the best international rates - as low as 4.8 cents a minute to many countries, including Austria, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom.
- Tip: If you make more than six hours in long distance calls per month, an unlimited calling plan, which includes local service and usually costs about $30 a month, might be your best option. AT&T offers a plan for $30 a month. And MCI offers a plan starting at $50 - the cost varies by state - that includes unlimited local toll calls and long distance as well as free call waiting, caller ID and voicemail.
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| What should be included: | - Some plans include long-distance calling at one flat rate, while others' rates vary by time of day. Most companies charge different rates for in-state and out-of-state long-distance phone calls.
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| Additional costs: | - Per-minute rates do not always give an accurate picture, especially with large providers, which tend to tack on extra fees. SaveOnPhone.com provides a list of fees commonly found on a long-distance phone bill. These include a federal tax - about 3 percent of your calls - charged by all carriers, as well as a subscriber line charge - no more than $5 on a primary residential line - which is paid to the local phone company; and, sometimes a monthly service charge.
- Also, some lower-cost plans do not include paper billing; you must pay extra to get a bill in the mail or pay online.
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| Discounts: | - Tip: If you already use high-speed internet service, and you make a lot of long-distance phone calls, it might be worthwhile to look into bundled service through your cable company, which often comes with unlimited long-distance. Sometimes it is possible to save $30 and up per month, depending on your calling patterns. One downside to this is that your phone will be unavailable during a cable outage; also 9-1-1 calls may not be traceable to your home.
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| Shopping for long distance phone calls: | - Tip: When trying to figure out which service is best for you, gather your past few months' telephone bills to get a clear idea of how many minutes you use monthly and what percentage of your long-distance calls are in-state. MyRatePlan.com will help you determine which plan fits based on your usage patterns and location.
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Article updated February 2007 |
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