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Home > Consumer Information > Choosing a Long Distance Provider
Choosing a Long Distance Service
Get Out Your Telephone Bills
In order to accurately shop for a long distance plan, you need to know what your calling patterns
are. Start by getting out your last three phone bills. Doing this will give you valuable information
for looking for a plan that gives you the best long distance rates at the times you normally make
your calls. As you look at your phone bills, ask yourself the following questions: Where do I call?
When do I call? How are calls billed?
Where Do you Call?
Are all of your long distance calls made only in the United States? In-state? Out-of-state? Do you
make any international calls? Do you call the same telephone numbers over and over? By identifying the
areas you call, you will be better able to choose a long distance service that fits your calling needs.
So you notice a calling pattern, some long distance plans could offer you significant savings over your
previous long distance carrier.
When Do You Call?
Most long distance carriers offer plans that charge based on the time of day that you place the call,
such as daytime, evening (or night) and weekend. The cheaper calling rates are usually at night and on
weekends, but each long distance carrier has a different time schedule for when their cheapest rates
start. If you find that most of your calls are during the day, you could save a ton of money by
switching to a calling plan with a single flat rate. These plans allow you to pay the same rate for long
distance calls no matter what time of the day or night you call.
How Are Calls Billed?
Another important item to consider when choosing a long distance service or carrier is the billing
increments. While all companies charge based on the length of the phone call, they don't all use the same
method for calculating the charges for each phone call, whether you reached the person you were trying to
call or not. Some long distance carriers will round the phone calls by the whole minute and charge you
accordingly. Other calling plans charge a higher rate for the first minute than for all other minutes.
If you make a lot of very short phone calls, this can chip away at any cheap rates your long distance plan offers.
Other carriers can bill in smaller increments, such as six seconds. While this may seem like an insignificant feature
to have on a long distance plan, it can save you big money on your phone bill.
Written by:
Laura Rucker
Editor, U Save Telecom Discount Long Distance Service
© 2003 U Save Telecom Discount Long Distance
Related Products:
Long Distance Plans
Prepaid Long Distance - Better than Prepaid Phone Cards.
Related Articles:
Understanding Your Phone Bills
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How To Avoid a Second Phone Line
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