Dial Around
I
am sure you have seen all the 10-10 numbers floating around but do you know
what they are? They are dial around services. They allow you to bypass the
long distance company on your phone line. To use these services you dial
a long distance provider code, 10-10-XXX, before you dial a long distance
number.
10-10 numbers always sound good but you don't
always get a better rate. At times, they offer a worse rate than your regular
long distance company.
When you are selecting a 10-10 service you
need to know what to look for. Below are a few things to watch out for.
-
First look for information about a monthly
fee. Some of these companies charge you a monthly fee for using them,
even if you just use it once.
-
Second you should think about discounts
for longer calls. One-company gives you a 50% discount for calls 20 minutes
or longer but if you hang up at 19 minutes you are charged a very high
rate.
-
Lastly, just like the old saying, "if it
sounds to good to be true..." There is a company that only charges $0.99
for a 20 minute call but if you call and get an answering machine or if the
person isn't home you will be charged the $0.99. This would be the highest
per-minute rate in the industry!
Before you use 10-10 numbers make sure you
investigate the restrictions, rules and charges. They are all different from
service to service.
Below is a list of links to papers that the
FCC has published.
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