Careless Dialing

Be very careful when placing a collect or other operator-assisted calls, or you or the party you are calling may end up paying a higher rate. The unexpected charges may come as a result of a new scheme involving "fat-finger dialing."

How it happens: You place a call from a public phone or payphone, intending to use a service like 1-800-CALL-ATT or 1-800-COLLECT. But you misspell or hit an incorrect button when dialing. You accidentally dial something like 1-800-CALLAT.

You get connected to the party you wished to call, but the phone company that connects you is not the one you intended to use. Instead, it is a company that secures 800 numbers related to well-known ones. For example, a company secures the number "800-CALLAT".

The company banks on the possibility that you might accidentally misspell or misdial your intended number. Often, the company won't identify itself to you or the person receiving the collect call before connecting the call. The charges for the misdialed call are 2 to 3 times higher than it would have been.

Dial carefully so that you can avoid this problem. Listen to the handset while dialing the number to make sure you hit each number only once. If you are not sure you dialed correctly, hang up and start again.

You may file a complaint with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) through their e-mail fccinfo@fcc.gov, website www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html, or by phone 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322).

Here are our recommendations:
DialUno Cerca 1010
Register to get 10-10 code
DialUno
6.9¢ / min.8¢ to AK, HI
New .95 monthly Carrier Recovery Fee.
online contact form / 1.800.575.2640

DialAround 1010
Register to get 10-10 code.
Primus
5.5¢ / min.8¢ to AK, HI
6-second billing with 30 second minimum on state-to-state and instate calls.
Lower minimum billing of $5/month Plus New .95 monthly Carrier Recovery Fee
1-800-297-9533

PNG PowerDial
Register to use toll free access number.
PNG
5.7¢ / min.15.9¢ to AK, HI
Now has a 99¢ monthly feeFor
1-800-297-9527

Everdial Long Distance
4.9¢ state-to-state rate,
24hours 7 days a week.
30 second initial, 6 second increments.
NO MONTHLY MINIMUMS or FEES.
A 99¢ Carrier Recovery Fee
3% Federal tax.

PNG Long Distance
3.9¢ rate .
Now has a 99¢ monthly fee.
Awesome international rates
check website for rates to call mobile

PNG
also offers stand-alone toll free service,
local phone service,
high speed internet
and cellular plans
with very low international rates

Dialuno
"Primero" 1 plus plan 3.8¢ rate applies 24 hours/7 days a week for all state-to-state calls. billed in 6 second increments Great international rates, especially to Mexico and South American countries. Toll free numbers available at no extra charge and will bill incoming at same rates.

Primus Telecommunications, Inc does the billing and customer service, calls are carried on the MCI network and Alliance AT&T network.
$0.95 Carrier Recovery Fee is added in any month the service is used.

There is a minimal billing requirement of $5/month which means:If monthly usage totals less than $5, your bill will be adjusted to meet the $5 minimum.

ECG Long Distance
2.5¢ state-to-state rate if billed by E-bill only and credit card. Also billed in 6 second increments.

ECG also has toll free numbers available at no extra charge and incoming billing at same rates. $0.59 per month regulatory recovery fee applies to each taxable account, requires EasyPay and EasyBill. EasyBill is ECG's paperless billing option that lets customers receive their monthly ECG bill online.

EasyPay is ECG's paperless payment option that lets customers pay their monthly ECG bill electronically via credit/debit card or bank draft.

3.5¢ state-to-state rate if you wish a paper bill and/or pay by check or other method $0.59 per month regulatory recovery fee applies to each taxable account, plus paper bill processing fee of $2.50

ECG is available in approximately 80% of the country. When you request service, it will tell you if they don't serve your area.