[Asterisk-biz] Verizon Pre-paid Calling Card

[C F]

On 7/8/05, Michael Welter <mike at introspect.com> wrote:
> I was looking at a Verizon calling card at the 7-11.  Besides the
> whopping 79¢ call setup fee, I noticed it does not allow calls to
> toll-free numbers.  Is this a marketing ploy, or is there a financial
> reason they won't complete calls to 800,888,877, etc.  I thought toll
> free meant toll free.

Well, if it's free you don't need them to be completed from a calling
card. I don't know why they don't let you complete those calls. But
why should they? It's free anyhow. As for the $.79 setup charge, you
can buy calling cards from a dozen others that don't have this setup
fee, however most will have such a fee when using the toll free number
to connect to them. Since the toll free numbers now cost $.25 (I think
thats the price) from a payphone. That also explains the last question
you have.

> 
> Also, there is a 50¢ surcharge for calls from payphones.  What reason
> would they have for this?

This makes me think that the only option those cards have is to call a
toll free number to connect to them. That will explain the setup, and
surcharge fee. They have to recover the cost of the toll free as well
(although $.79 is a lot). Most of the other cards have local numbers
you can call to use the calling card, and when you use the toll free
number you have to pay extra surcharges.
Hope this explains it.