Calling Card Warnings

Ever get less minutes than you thought you were going to get?
Indeed, it's hard to find someone who has not had a negative calling card experience. The calling card industry has been plagued with companies trying to deceive consumers with all kinds of devious business practices which are either undisclosed, or disclosed in very fine print.

Here's an Example:

You purchase a very popular 1.5 cents a minute card. You make one 25 minute call which one would think would cost $0.75 at first glance (25 times $0.015). Right? Wrong! When you add the connection fee, usage fee and maintenance fees, the total cost for that call was $2.08 or 8.3 cents per minute! On the average call (7 minutes), the effective per minute rate would be a whopping 15.5 cents a minute - TEN TIMES the published rate.


Stop Being Cheated!! Our Calling Card Report uncovers these types of underhanded billing tactics. Read on...


Connection Fees
Charging connection fees on every call is the most popular ploy used by calling card companies. Connection fees add tremendously to the per minute cost of the call. For example, a connection fee of just $0.25 will add over 3.5 cents per minute to the average call bringing your effective per minute cost up by 3.5 cents. There are companies that cut calls off randomly, to ensure you call again, so they can charge that connection fee again. Companies attempt to lure you to buy their product by advertisign an insanely low rate, but with a fine-print connection fee. Also, be wary of disconnection fees on supposed "no connection fee" cards that are charged when you hang up.


Maintenance Fees
Maintenance fees are deducted from your card without you even making a call! These fees are assessed on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis. These charges are an attempt by other calling card companies to take your money without incurring any variable costs. Maintenance fees are pure profit for the phone card company without any benefit to the consumer!


Multiple Minute Rounding
Multiple minute rounding means you pay for more minutes that you actually spoke. For example, if you spoke for 6 minutes, some cards will charge you based on "5 minute rounding" and charge you for a 10 minute call! This brings your effective rate per minute up, because you must calculate paying for those added minutes that you did not use!


Usage Fees / Additional Taxes & Surcharges
Many companies add usage fees, taxes and surcharges to the per minute rates they advertise that can add as much as 20% to the cost of the call. While the companies are required to collect these taxes/surcharges, many collect much more than they are required to by law. In addition, it is law that these charges must be included at the time of payment so these fees must be included in the published rates in order to be in compliance with the law. At IsCard, the rates we publish are the rates you pay inclusive of taxes so there are never any surprises.


Internet Quality
Many companies route their calls over the Internet to earn extra profit. While the quality is sometimes acceptable, often calls will have intolerable delays, dropped words, and sudden disconnections.


"Bong" Charges
Some companies random deduct small amounts from their customer's balances which are too small for the customer to realize yet translate to extra profit for the company. Our report tracks companies that do this so you can know to avoid them.


We hope you will find this information helpful when you make your decision. We help you find Cards that are built on principles of honesty and integrity.