flroots
join:2007-02-05
Miami, FL | [General] VoIP as calling card
I seem to remember that some VoIP providers offer a service that allows you to place a call from a payphone much like a prepaid calling card. Can anyone tell me how they work and if they're more economical than a prepaid calling card? Thanks |
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usa2k
Please PRAY for Rebekah
Premium,MVM
join:2003-01-26
Canton, MI
clubs: | I used to use iConnectHere.com - worked well Calling US from Canada, and US to US. Its been a long time now! |
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Larry P
@optonline.net | reply to flroots
Another to look at:
»www.callcentric.com/calling_card/
Well rated company! |
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dd325xi
join:2008-05-19 | reply to flroots
Future Nine has all possible calling card and callback features |
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celtic
join:2001-02-08
USA
| reply to flroots
said by flroots  :I seem to remember that some VoIP providers offer a service that allows you to place a call from a payphone much like a prepaid calling card. ... What is a payphone?  |
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Javaguy216
join:2005-03-18
Cleveland, OH | reply to flroots
I have to agree with dd325xi. Future-Nine does have good calling card and callback features. I have used it several times and all the features work flawless. In addition, call quality is excellent. |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Castle Rock, CO
| reply to flroots
said by flroots :I seem to remember that some VoIP providers offer a service that allows you to place a call from a payphone much like a prepaid calling card. Can anyone tell me how they work and if they're more economical than a prepaid calling card? Thanks If you intend to use anything from a payphone, be sure to understand the provider's surcharge for payphone origination. It varies wildly and can be more than the per minute costs of a short call. |
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flroots
join:2007-02-05
Miami, FL | How do these work? Do you call a toll free number owned by the VoIP provider then enter a PIN and number you wish to call? How does the cost compare with the prepaid cards you can buy in stores? Thanks |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Castle Rock, CO
| the prepaid cards available in convenience stores and gas stations are for suckers. they are heavily surcharged -- some even decline in value if you don't use them (periodic fees). they are targeted at ethnic populations that don't speak english as a first language -- they are very colorful, sometimes written in foreign languages, have really low prices in BIG print, and surcharge disclosures in very small print. The only prepaid cards worth buying, that I have seen, have been those available at Costco and Sams Club. |
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nitzan
join:2008-02-27
 ·Comcast
 ·ViaTalk
| Correct. You'd often see something like "500 minutes to Mexico" for like $10. If you pick up the phone and make one continuous call that lasts 500 minutes you'd get the entire 500 minutes from the card. If you hang up and pick up the phone again however, your card balance will be cut in half (not exactly half, but you get the drift).
Some of the ways they do it:
1. Bill in 3-minute increments - talked for 3 minutes and 2 seconds? they bill you for 6.
2. Connect charge - 75 cents or whatever ridiculous fee whenever you make a call.
3. Disconnect charge - same thing.
4. Periodic charge - reduce $1 from your available balance every week.
There are probably more, but these are the regular ones. Be very careful who you deal with when it comes to calling cards, their way of operation is to advertise the lowest price they can, but charge the highest price they can. It's bordering on false advertising but there's not much you can do about it - just take your business elsewhere.
Pretty much any VoIP provider will offer you better rates when you account for no connection charges, no periodic charges, and no 3-minute billing.
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Nitzan Kon, CEO
Future Nine Corporation |
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flroots
join:2007-02-05
Miami, FL | reply to flroots
I was actually asking about how a VoIP calling card works. Has anyone used them and if so could you discribe the operation? Thanks |
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nitzan
join:2008-02-27
·Comcast
·ViaTalk
| said by flroots :I was actually asking about how a VoIP calling card works. Has anyone used them and if so could you discribe the operation? Thanks Different companies have different configurations, but with Future Nine you open an account, add credit to the account, call an access number (list here: »www.future-nine.com/callingcard.html), input your account number as your PIN, and dial the number you wish to call. Billing is per-minute with no invisible charges whatsoever.
When you run out of credit- you just add more credit. In other words your card number is multi-use.
Other companies may be similar or different.
--
Nitzan Kon, CEO
Future Nine Corporation |
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flroots
join:2007-02-05
Miami, FL
·Future Nine Corpor..
·callwithus
| said by nitzan :said by flroots :I was actually asking about how a VoIP calling card works. Has anyone used them and if so could you discribe the operation? Thanks Different companies have different configurations, but with Future Nine you open an account, add credit to the account, call an access number (list here: » www.future-nine.com/callingcard.html), input your account number as your PIN, and dial the number you wish to call. Billing is per-minute with no invisible charges whatsoever. When you run out of credit- you just add more credit. In other words your card number is multi-use. Other companies may be similar or different. Thanks, that helps. Do any VoIP calling cards, to your knowledge, offer toll free access numbers? |
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DracoFelis
Premium
join:2003-06-15
| reply to flroots
said by flroots :I seem to remember that some VoIP providers offer a service that allows you to place a call from a payphone much like a prepaid calling card. I don't know if this is what you were after, but »www.voxalot.com has a "web callback" option you can use if you pay the $25/year fee for their premium service. It won't help you if you only have access to a pay phone. However, if you have access to the web and are near a phone that can receive incoming calls (some hotel rooms, for example), you can use web callback to have VoXaLot call (via the VoIP accounts/providers of your choice) both you and the party you wish to reach. |
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nitzan
join:2008-02-27
·Comcast
·ViaTalk
| reply to flroots
said by flroots :Thanks, that helps. Do any VoIP calling cards, to your knowledge, offer toll free access numbers? We will offer it later on (but not yet). Net2Phone does offer TF access numbers, but their rates are relatively high, and you pay an extra X cents per minute for toll free access on top of it.
Don't know of any others that offer it currently. |
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flroots
join:2007-02-05
Miami, FL | Thanks for the feedback. My primary interest would be placing calls from pay phones. |
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DracoFelis
Premium
join:2003-06-15
| said by flroots :Thanks for the feedback. My primary interest would be placing calls from pay phones. For the small amount of traveling I do, I generally use my »www.onesuite.com account. Yes, they are a traditional "phone card" company (although they now also offer a VoIP option), but I've found them reasonably reliable and fairly cheap to use (cheaper than most other phone card services). And FWIW yes they do have a pay phone surcharge (like most phone cards), so keep that in mind when making calls.
NOTE: If you happen to be in a hotel room, making the call from your room often does not invoke the pay phone surcharge. |
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HG
@comcast.net | second about onesuite. they are relatively cheap, and quality is above average. However they are sometimes too cheap that I can not use all my credit within 6 month. |
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usa2k
Please PRAY for Rebekah
Premium,MVM
join:2003-01-26
Canton, MI
clubs: | »www.iconnecthere.com/nonmembers/···card.htm |
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zaldy
join:2007-12-07
| reply to flroots
said by flroots :I was actually asking about how a VoIP calling card works. Has anyone used them and if so could you discribe the operation? Thanks I use Onesuite.com and its primarily a prepaid phone card with voip feature. For their phone card service, you call an access number like local or toll free then dial your pin (no need to dial your pin if you register the phone that you gonna use for making calls) then dial your destination number. Works on a pay phone too but theres a 55 cents surcharge. Some phone cards charges as high as 99 cents for their payphone fees. So if you gonna make a couple of calls from a payphone, I suggest wait for the other person to hang up after your conversation then wait for the prompt to dial the destination number again, that way you only get charge one 55 cent surcharge and not twice.
For Onesuite voip, you use a softphone like Xlite or SJ phone (or any other softphones you like) and then dial your destination number. Onesuite can also be use on ATA or IP phones.
HTH |
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