I'm looking for a long distance provider for my land based phone line. My current provider is AT&T who misled me to believe that I wouldn't have a monthly charge for my .07/min rate that I have with them. $5/month is more than I would EVER spend on LD calls though. The only times I use LD besides onesuite is to fax something.

So with that in mind...I'd love to hear your suggestions. I'm sure with all you bargain hunters here you'll be able to help me greatly! I'd like to find something similar to the rates that I have now .07/min anytime but with no monthly charge or minimum cost.

Thanks

PS, I will never have anything to do with MCI!!

I don't know what part of the country you are in, but I use these guys http://www.cavtel.com for local and ld residential service bundle. It's a flat rate plan that includes local service unlimited and 5 cent a minute ld.



http://www.cavtel.com/news/index.shtml

I don't know about you, but between regular local service, voicemail, ld and access fees for it I was paying more than $30. a month. I found this to be an excellent deal.

Now, I can get credit for anyone signing up, so if you feel inclined to PM me, I wouldn't mind. Mods , if this is not appropriate, let me know and I'll edit this.

RATS...I'm in Central VA...they serve Northern VA and Eastern VA...FIGURES Looked like a pretty good deal though..cuz like you said, I'm paying well over $30 with verizon just for my local service.

ANYONE ELSE GOT SUGGESTIONS?

I recently started using IDT. $3.95/mo .05/min.
The only bad part is sometimes I get feedback on a long distance call, meaning that I hear myself talking through the earpiece. Doesn't happen too often, but when it does it's really annoying.
The good part is that my long distance bill went from an average of $50 to around $35 +/-.

Currently looking for another provider also. Too bad Cavtel doesn't service my area (South Florida). Sounds like a good deal.

BTW, I had ATT, but they got me angry. When I called to cancel my account the CSR's kept sweetening the offers to get me to stay. They started at 60 minutes free per mo. for 3 months. The best offer I got was 60 minutes free per month for 12 months. It may be worthwhile to call ATT, tell them you want to cancel and see what they offer.

You may want to call them on the phone and see if they cover your area. When I started with them I was in NJ where they had bought out Conectiv Service and didn't have service available in DE where I moved to. I called them last year when I moved and even though their site didn't include DE, they did offer it, just hadn't updated their coverage area online. Worth a phonecall at least. I also have an 800# to access voicemail from anywhere withoug toll fees. They don't offer this, but as an older customer I was setup with it, and have had some family sign up also without the 800# access but I have tried it with their numbers and it works for them too! It's something in the old system that hasn't been disabled or is used internally. If anyone here signs up, let me know and I'll give you the 800#

Boy, that sounds familiar. AT&T lying, that is.

I was on AT&T's "One Rate 7 cent plan", which was supposed to mean that every call I made, whether long distance, in-state, or local toll, was going to be 7 cents per minute.

They ended up charging me 11 cents for in-state calls, and 14 cents for local toll calls. -mad-

Their excuse is that they don't offer that plan for customers of "North Pittsburgh Telecom". Even though that is the plan they sold me. And the plan that they gave me had the same name as the national plan, only higher rates. What part of "One Rate 7 cent" don't they understand?

I tried writing to them to resolve it. They rejected it with an unsigned form letter. Next I'll be talking to the PUC.

I currently have MCI. They're ok so far. In general, I hate long distance phone companies.

A couple of years ago, I got sick and tired of all of the "service" charges, taxes and surcharges from my long distance carrier. So I chucked them and went to prepaid phone cards.

There are sales almost every week on the cards. A couple of weeks ago, I got a BOGO deal from Walgreens that brought the cost to something like 4.5 cents per minute. I understand that Costco and Sam's Club have cards that are less than 4.0 cents per minute.

Best thing about the cards is that you aren't charged anything additional for your calls, particularly the taxes and surcharges. And you can use them from almost anywhere in the country if you travel. I've been more than pleased with this, and haven't looked back. To heck with long distance carriers.

If you're dead set on getting a 1+ long distance plan, I suggest trying www.gtctelecom.com. 5¢/min w/ no monthly minimums or fees if you let them debit your credit card and receive online bills. Nominal fees if you'd rather have a paper bill and pay by check. I used them for a long time as my primary carrier, and now I use them as a backup.

The real deals are the calling cards. I use www.onesuite.com. It's 2.5¢/min. I have only had 2 times in 3 months (avg. 3-5 ld calls/day) where it was busy. I used bigzoo since it came out, but have found onesuite superior (and cheaper).

Yeah...I use onesuite, and love it...BUT, I can't send faxes using onesuite so I HAVE TO HAVE A BACKUP. Faxing is REALLY the ONLY time I use LD service...everything else is either cell phone or onesuite. That's why I got so PO'd when I found that I was being charged $5/month by AT&T!! I NEVER MAKE $5/month in calls!! EVER!

Keep this thread alive, I think people are always looking for deals on LD. Keep your positive and negative stories coming.

I knew you were a smart one.

And do check out GTC Telecom.

I use OneSuite too, but I have my home LD with ZoneLD.com. No charge if you make no call, 4 cents/min for 5 states of your choice and 4.5 cents/min for all other states. They have 150 free mins promotion for new customers, but read the fine prints.

I am using www.everdial.com, it is based on Isterra(Primus). Pretty cheap price, 4.9c/state to state, 3.49c/in state, no monthly fee, free 1800 number, ebill/payment.

Thanks Guys...I signed up for GTC Telecom a couple of days ago...seems like a great deal.

PS: Shameless self BUMP

WTG.

Have you tried http://www.bigzoo.com/ ? I have never used them, but I have a friend who swears by them. She uses them all the time...

I also wanted to add. NEVER EVER get MCI. They suck. Once they gave me a promo offer and then when the bill came it was 10 or 12 cents a minute for in-state calls. I had to call them many times before I could get a refund.

I used Bigzoo since close to it's inception and was happy most of the time w/ them. They had growing pains, but most firms do. After I let a couple dollars expire (and my PIN expire) by accident, I decided to try onesuite.com since it was a little cheaper. I have had even better service w/ them. I like bigzoo, but I prefer onesuite. It's hard to beat 2.5¢/min. w/ NO fees.

I've used Cognicall for a couple years now. Flawless service in terms of sound quality and busy signals. Gives you a toll-free number to dial, so it's great for travel. The US rate is like 7cents/minute, but the reason I use them is they have toll-free numbers in all sorts of countries (although some are not toll-free based on how that country's phone service works). So you can use that same calling card if you travel in Europe, etc. Their international rates from the US are pretty good too.

A question for everyone - I have Verizon local service and also Verizon long distance/international. My issues is similar to raringvt - I make ZERO long distance calls from my landline. I either use my cell phone (long distance included free) or I call on a calling card. I would like a decent long distance service to sign up for with no monthly fee that gives me a reasonable rate so I can do faxing from home. Verizon's no-fee plan is now $0.28/min ($0.18 night & weekend). That's way too much if I only fax a few times per month, so I'd like to switch.

However, here's the problem. I have a $3/month international plan from Verizon which is really advantageous for me. I make calls to a couple of european mobile phone numbers. Most carriers have caught on and started charging extra for this (because European cell-phone charges don't work the same as here). Cognicall, for instance, charges $0.11/min to Belgium but $0.36/min to Cell phones with Belgian numbers. This is true of just about every calling card service I've found. Verizon, however, with this $3 plan charges me $0.14/minute for Belgian calls whether cellular or not. That's a great deal for me, so I want to keep it. But when I switch long distance, do I have to switch international as well?

Yes, I think so.

FWIW, onesuite.com is 29¢ for Belgian mobile numbers, Bigzoo is 45.4¢, and Vonage is 28¢. It seems like you have a great deal going w/ Verizon until they change their plan to compensate for the Belgian mobile numbers.

I have used PowerNet Global for almost two years now. I have no minimums, no monthly fee, and I pay 5.5 a minute. BUT, the company charges in 18 second increments, they do not round up to the next minute which saves the customer money. Powernet Global's website

Onesuite ROCKS...Domestic or International...it's hands down the best way to make LD phone calls (unless you have cell minutes to use with free LD).

Also, today AT&T gave me a call, inquiring as to why I had switched my LD carrier. The guy asked what I'm paying now w/ GTC. When I told him $.05/minute...he immediately started inquiring about promotional rates and monthly fees. After I insisted that there was none of that w/ GTC, he didn't even continue to try!!!

AHHHHHHHH....SWEET SATISFACTION!!

ALSO, MCI SUCKS!! <---I have to get that out there at every opportunity, even if it has little or nothing to do with my post!!

-moon-<---KISS MY BIG RED A$$ MCI!!

Thanks for the response. Cognicall gives me $0.36/min to Belgian mobile numbers. I can use Cognicall for faxing too, but it's somewhat annoying to have to program in the dialing codes. Not that bad, though. If Verizon ups their European mobile rates, I'll definitely jump ship.

SBC Pacific Bell has some deals on Long Distance right now for Californians...

Value Plus 500 Promotion $10
First 500 min included;
5¢/min* thereafter

Value Plus 200 Promotion $5
First 200 min included;
5¢/min thereafter

Value Plussm 60 Promotion $2
First 60 min included;
5¢/min* thereafter $2.00

Value Plus Flat Rate Promotion $0.00
5¢/min*

GTC telecom is great. In fact, ATT called the other night. I told the guy (as I always do) about my 4.85 cents/min (signed up a long time ago through onlinechoice.com) with no monthly fee. He said "can I have the name of that place? I'm going to sign up too!" :lol: :lol:

I went back and forth between AT&T and MCI. Both of them kept promising me a flat per minute fee. First they started with the monthly charges, then they kept charging me more than I was told on the phone. The last time with AT&T, I got the promised pre minute and no monthly, but they tacked on a 35cents per call charge.

Currently I use SBC for both local and long distance. 5 - 7 cents per minute (instate / intrastate calls) and no monthly or per call. My monthly long distance is usually under $1 per month.

The phone cards can be cheaper, but I'd have to use more long distance to make it worthwhile.

my 2cents worth.

Loquo

I HATE MCI!!! The last time they called I basically just told the guy how much MCI sucks, and that I would NEVER do business with them again.....but lo and behold....I look at my Verizon local service account online, and MCI shows up as my LD carrier!!!!!!!!! Does anyone know how that would be possible? I KNOW FOR A FACT, that there is no way in Haites that I would have authorized a switch from GTC to anyone, much less to MCI (whom I hate with a passion).

how odd raringvt, I thought they needed a third party verifier to switch you over.

Maybe they heard "I would NEVER do business with you" as "I would LOVE to do business with you"!

I signed up at 4.7¢ through onlinechoice.com. I miss that place.

Get information on "slamming" at the FCC's page on slamming. It's an illegal activity that many desperate LD carriers do. MCI seems to be the scum of the LD world.

THanks, good info....too bad I haven't actually used any LD since the "change" was made. Basically, if you have been slammed you don't have to pay your bill for the first 30 days. If you paid your bill already, the slammers must pay the legit LD carrier 150% of the payment, and the legit company gives you 50% as reimbursement...so in this case MCI would lose 50% on any amount I paid.

I'd love to be able to STICK IT TO THEM.....ARRRGGGHHHH!!! I HATE MCI!! (in case I didn't mention that before) -harhar-

Anyone know of any promotional signups for GTC Telecom?

Like free minutes or something like that.

I'm thinking about switching over.

http://www.gtctelecom.com/topsecret5/

2.5 cents for the first 3 months promotional offer

Hmmm...I guess I'll be switching "back" for that deal. I still don't see how it's possible for MCI or any LD carrier to "Slam"....I'm an insurance broker, and I WISH I could just "slam" other companies customers with my policies without giving notice.... :lol:

BTW, I started using OneSuite a couple days ago.

It works great.

I used to use the Sam's Calling cards from ATT. It was a pain to enter the pin code every time and go through all the menus.

The zipdial feature of OneSuite makes it much faster. Enter 1-800 number and place your call. (I don't have a local access number) Real easy.

I'm not sure i'm even going to have a backup long distance carrier.

Go prepaid. The Sam's cards are AT&T cards, and are now UNDER 3 cents/minute, with no connect fees (except payphones), no monthly fees, and no expiration dates.

If you don't like Sam's or AT&T, go to Costco. They have similar cards with similar rates (usually they are the same, but I have not checked Costco since Sam's went under 3 cents/minute).

Prepaid is definitely the way to go, whether it's Onesuite or Calling cards....unless you're doing a long distance fax, which is the only reason I need a LD provider at all.

I use onesuite, and just set up my phone with the 800 # in memory 1...and with zip dial enabled....so to make a call, I just push 1, wait a few seconds, and dial the # that I wanna call...No hassle at all...and the price....well.... IT ROCKS!!

PS: MCI SUCKS!! -moon-

I just did a long distance fax yesterday through OneSuite.

Just a matter of how you send the fax.

I installed HotFax MessageCenter on my Computer.

Scanned what i wanted to fax.

HotFax has an option to use a calling card. They make it easy to design the script to use a calling card. Punch in the info and your all set.

Sent the fax. Only cost me 8.7 cents for that fax.

I send long distance faxes with the prepaid calling card. All you need is a programmable fax machine. Even if you don't have one of those, that is what the "hook" function is for. Load your document, make the fax give you a dialtone by pressing hook (or whatever your hook button is called), dial the 800#, follow the prompts, enter the code, dial the area code and phone number, wait for the other fax to pick up, and then hit send.

Nack

I use the win xp fax software....never really tried to set it up to use w/ a calling card though....I used to use WinFax before I got XP on my box, WF wouldn't let you use a calling card...I'm gonna check XP out.

EDIT: looks like the software built into XP does allow for calling card use...it'll take a little playing with to get it set up though...KEWL!!

WinFax Pro does have an option for calling card use.