Telephone calling cards

[jerry]

I checked on the net I think for 10-10-220. I can not remember the exact number but it was not that cheap. My MCI was cheaper. oh well. I am going to mail Jim some money and check it out. As of right now IDT is still the best that I have found. About $.25

Jerry

 

[Helen]

Hi everyone, Found a calling card in Canada that is valid for North Am. It's called the Ola card. Don't know if you can find it in the US or not. But, it has a connection fee of .99cts to the DR (in Cdn) and each min is .11cts. So far its the cheapest one I could find. They have 10, 20 & 30 dollar denominations. If interested let me know & I will find out more details for you. I figured... help & help alike...and I have received much advice from Jim & others here.

 

[scaramooch]

I just bought a calling card that gives me .12cta minute but it has a $1.25 connection charge , but I can talk 150 minutes for $20.00 Here is their address http//www.vocall.com

 

[scaramooch]

I just bought a calling card that gives me .12cta minute but it has a $1.25 connection charge , but I can talk 150 minutes for $20.00 Here is their address http//www.vocall.com

 

[jerry]

this card is good in US? Are the prices US or Canadian? Might be worth a look.

Jerry

 

[Jim Hinsch]

That's the same card we previously discussed 2 days ago. For $20, the Voz Latina gives even more time (257 minutes) at $US0.07/min., also mentioned in the same message, posted below:

PK Communication VoCall: US$1.50 connect, US$0.09/min.

Voz Latina: US$2.00 connect, US$0.07/min.

Tropicard: US$0.00 connect, US$0.20/min.

A 10 minute call is cheapest with the Tropicard at US$2.00 vs. Voz Latina at $2.70 vs. PK Communication at US$2.40.

At 14 minutes, the PK Communicationis VoCall breaks ahead (Tropicard at US$2.80 vs. Voz Latina at $2.98 vs PK Communications VoCall at US$2.76).

At 26 minutes, the Voz Latina breaks ahead (Tropicard at US$5.20 vs. Voz Latina at $3.82 vs PK Communications VoCall at US$3.84).

Since many of your calls to the DR will not get through on the first try, yet you may still be charged a connection fee (it has happened to me) it is not a good idea to go with a connection fee unless you like to gamble. It also doesn't say if the PK Communication card (VoCall) can be used to call FROM the DR.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

 

[Sue]

Like Helen I also use the OLA card. I've tried some other calling cards sold here in Toronto, but have found this one to be the best value so far. Even with connection fees it is still better than paying the phone companies rates. My $20 card (canadian) lets me talk over 2 hrs and since I usually speak to my friend in the DR for about 1/2 hr each week, it lasts about a month. Just as a comparison, using my phone company to call instead would cost over $100. So even with the connection fee it is a real bargain. I don't know if you can use this card in the States, but here is the customer service #. They should be able to help 1-877-878-4146.

 

[J.]

Quick note: (43 years in the telephone business, GTE, CONTINENTAL, CONTRACTING). Codetel is owned by GTE, Tricom I don't know, and the first three digits of a phone number (ie: 334-xxxx) are established in the telephone central office. They have so much equipment dedicated to each area and it starts with (like) 301 a prfix and then 0001 to 9999 and then 302 prefix and then 0001 to 9999, easy????? They get 9999 numbers for one prefix and no more.. NEW PREFIX, 303 AND SO ON. The office serves 25000 homes and business's SO 3 DIFFERENT PREFIXES..My number is 879-6638 so i'm the 6637th number with the prefix 879, GOT IT??? Codetel probably has to furnish so many prefixes and access to their lines to serve the subscribers of Tricom. Thats the way it works here in US, will look into this and get back to all you good people. J.(Jim), have a good day.

 

[Jim Hinsch]

Re: Calling cards

I don't understand what you are trying to point out. I understand you are saying they have a limited amount of equipment dedicated for each local prefix, but I don't see how that is relavant.

I have a Codetel/RSLCom issued calling card that works fine for calling a specific TriCom issued phone number, yet others claim that their calling cards could not call the number.

Perhaps you could explain why I cannot call certain newer area codes in the USA from the DR when calling from Codetel or TriCom call centers, or when using the Communicard from Codetel, yet I can when using the TriCom CellCard or the Codetel/RSLCom Tropicard, and I also can when using Codetel connected house phone lines.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

 

[Loren]

Re: Calling cards

When I got my office phones turned on by a CLEC (competitive local exchange carrier, which is what Tricom is) here in Ohio, I could not dial my office number from my cell phone for some time. I raised hell with the cel phone company and they fixed it. What happens is that the phone companies have to program the NXX's and NSX's (area code and first 3 numbers of a phone #) into their switch. If a phone company that owns its own switch is "asleep at the wheel," they dont update their switches right away and you cant call newer numbers. Most of the phone companies are good at this, but some of the calling card companies, cell carriers and small long distance companies may not update their equipment in a timely order.

The carribean shares the phone dialing scheme with the US and Canada. so they have to update their codes like we do when a new exchange is created. That number I am trying to dial is a new DR number, and the big carriers have it in their system, but the small companies often must be prompted by customer complaints to even know the changes exist.

For Jay's info, Tricom is publicly traded on the NYSE: TDR

 

[J.]

Re: Calling cards

I agree all companies are a little slow, but mostly because of equipment and turn-up problems, or lack of equipment, nothing more and nothing less. Here we have public utility commissions and FCC to regulate these and keep them honest. But, the DR has the National Government ONLY and its tough getting rough with the utilities. "Fix it or we take away your franchise", example: Hawaii 1964/65, You did'nt fix it so sell. And they did to General Telephone System (GTE). As for Equipment, Codetel uses Northern Telecom (Canadian) central office swithes and are one of the best in the world. Tricom is DR's (Government) way to live up to their promise of more than on carrier. See you next Sunday, its off to work for a week. J.

 

[Helen]

Prices are in Cdn funds, Jerry. They have a 1-800 number for anywhere in N.Am.

 

[Helen]

Scaramooch, get the Ola Card if you can. Gives you 2hrs & 31 mins @ 11cts/min with .99cts connection.

 

[scaramooch]

Helen do you have an address, telephone number etc??????

 

[Helen]

Info on Ola

Customer service # 1-877-878-4146. You should be able to locate the closest agent who offers the card through them. Company offering the Ola card is called Gold Line.

 

[Loren]

Talking shop (telco)

I tried to verify the information for my previous post, but couldnt document it, but I am pretty sure that Tricom was started as a joint venture between Motorola and a Dominican financial conglomerate. Of course they are publicly traded now, so that is all publicly diluted.

You are right, Codetel uses th Northern Telecom DMS-100 i believe; Tricom uses its nemesis, the Lucent 5ESS, manufactured right here in Columbus, Ohio! They are both first class products. The only competetion they have is from Siemens of Germany. I had the occasion to tour a DMS-100 switch connected to an OC-48 trunk. Needless to say, it was impressive.

Tricom sent out the notification of the NXX changes, the problem is on this end with these companies following through and programming their stuff.

 

[J.]

Re: Talking shop (telco)

Loren and anyone else who wants to read this gossip. There are several other companies mfg. telco equip. Erricson (Sweden), great switch, and on and on and on. Nice job you did Loren. I'm not involved too much with that side anymore, now its the fast pace of LIGHT, fiber optic that is. Adios, J.