Is there a difference between long distance companies?
First of all, long distance companies can be broken down into two
types - carriers and resellers. A long distance carrier owns the lines
and circuits and performs customer service and billing under its own name. AT&T, MCI,
Global Crossing, Qwest and Sprint are examples for carriers.
A long distance reseller purchases long distance minutes in bulk at
a deep discount from a carrier but performs customer service and billing under its own
name. Since resellers purchase minutes at deep discounts, they can offer lower rates to
their customers. Examples of resellers are Accxx,
Opex, Power Net
Global and UniTel.
Since a reseller uses the exact same infrastructure as the carrier
from which it purchased the bulk minutes, it stands to reason that the call quality and
reliability are also the same. To determine which discount resellers
offer service in your area and to compare rates and features, please
use our Estimated Cost Calculator.
Does the billing increment really make a difference?
It certainly can depending upon the length of your calls.
Although there are others, the two most popular billing increments
are 60-seconds and 6-seconds. With 60-second billing, any partial minute of call time is
rounded up to the nearest full minute. With 6-second billing, each minute is broken down
into ten 6-second increments with call time being rounded up to the nearest 6-second
increment. (6-second billing plans normally have an 18-second minimum.)
Naturally, if the per minute rates are the same, as in the example
displayed below, you should always select the plan with the shortest billing increment.
To determine which plan is right for you, review past long distance
bills. Do you normally make short-duration calls or long-duration calls? How many times do
you just leave a brief message versus speaking for an extended time to the party that you
called?
How long does it take to switch my long distance service?
It usually takes between 3 and 10 business days depending upon the
speed of the three parties involved (the verification service, the long distance company
and the local phone company).
All phone and internet orders, and even certain written
applications, require verification by a third-party verification service to guard against
"slamming." ("Slamming" is the unauthorized switching of long distance
service.) Once the order has been verified, it is then relayed to the long distance
company. The long distance company then establishes an account and sends an order to your
local phone company instructing them to switch your long distance service to the proper
"PIC" or carrier code.
How can I tell when my long distance service has been switched?
The only way to determine with certainty if your long distance
service has been switched is to contact your long distance company or agent.
You may easily determine who your carrier is by simply
calling 1-700-555-4141 from the phone line in question. A
recorded message will state the name of your carrier. Remember, however, your long
distance carrier and your long distance company may not be the
same. The carrier is whose lines and circuits you are using. Your long distance company is
who is billing you.
For example, if you selected UniTel as your long distance company,
Global Crossing would be your carrier since UniTel is a reseller of Global Crossing.
Therefore, if your long distance service is with UniTel, you should hear "Global
Crossing" when calling 1-700-555-4141. However, had your service been with Global
Crossings or one of its resellers immediately prior to applying to
UniTel, hearing
"Global Crossings" would not necessarily mean that your service had been
switched to UniTel. Calling 1-700-555-4141 only provides meaningful information if your
switching of long distance service entails the switching of carriers.
What is a PIC code?
PIC stands for Presubscriber Interexchange
Carrier which simply
means long distance carrier. The PIC code refers to a 7- or 4-digit number that identifies
a specific carrier. (For example, 1010444 references Global Crossing. Some local phone
companies only employ a 4-digit system. In which case, Global Crossing's PIC code would be
shortened to 0444.) Only carriers have PIC codes. Resellers, since they utilize a carriers
network, do not have PIC codes.
What is "slamming" and how do I prevent it?
"Slamming" is the unauthorized switching of long
distance service. Slamming is illegal and is subject to fines from the FCC.
To prevent "slamming," request your local phone
company to place a "PIC freeze" on your phone line once your long distance
service has been switched to the company that you desire. (The reason why you contact your
local phone company for a PIC freeze is that local phone companies control the switches
for long distance service.) With a PIC freeze, you are requesting that your long distance
service not be changed without your expressed permission. Depending upon the local phone
company, you may even add a password to your PIC freeze as an added measure of security.
For more information on slamming and to find out how to file a
complaint if you have been slammed, please visit the FCC.
I want reseller "A" as my long distance company. Reseller
"A" uses
carrier "B's" network. So, why then can't I just ask my local phone company to switch my
long distance service to the PIC code for carrier "B"?
A single carrier can have many different and independent resellers.
It is extremely important to establish your account with the reseller BEFORE your long
distance service is switched to the appropriate carrier's PIC code. Even if you are adding
a line to an existing account, it must be registered with the reseller. If your phone line
is not listed with an account with a reseller first, the carrier will not know to which
reseller to report the usage. As a result, you will probably be charged at the highest
rate by the carrier.
What are account codes and how are they used?
An account code (sometimes referred to as Personal Account Code or
Project Account Code) is usually a 2- to 6-digit number that is entered before a long
distance call is made to allow it to be itemized or restricted.
There are two types of account codes - verified and
non-verified. With verified account codes, a long distance call can only be made only
after entering a valid account code. With non-verified codes, a code still must be entered
when placing a long distance call. However, an invalid non-verified code will not prevent
the call from being placed.
Calls are then itemized and grouped by account code on your long
distance invoice. Account codes can be used to track calls for client billing purposes
such as in law, engineering and advertising firms.
