A well-known part of the calling card mix is the inclusion of fees in the price of the product. Many of us are oblivious to these charges, or completely confused by all the different names and numbers thrown out at us we don’t pay much attention to them.
More recently, many companies advertise no fees, no surcharges, and no additional charges. But how can this be true with no rate increase? How can they offer low rates and no extra charges? Remember what our mothers always told us as kids; if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. That holds true in this case as well. While there might not be any fees, or surcharges associated with the products, they now incorporate Taxes. A random ambiguous number added to the sale of each item to put a little of the cost back into their pockets. These numbers usually resemble a state sales tax so many of us don’t think anything of it. Keep in mind though; the Internet world doesn’t follow the same tax rules as a physical retailer. These companies are not required to charge sales tax in many areas, but they do anyway.
Even more, the taxes are not revealed until the very end of the purchasing process where you’ve already entered in all your information and are left with small print stating there was a tax added to the total purchase amount. Now you may ask, what does this do to my talk time and how much am I really losing? The easy answer is a lot! When these ambiguous taxes are added it can take your rate up a cent or two instantaneously. An advertised rate of 5¢ can instantly be 7¢ after the tax is assessed. Companies never calculate advertised rates and minutes with the tax included; they always show you the featured rate and amount since it is more pleasing to the eye and wallet.
The best way to find out if a company will charge you a tax for your purchase is by researching the product and company. Check the FAQ’s and look for any taxes that may be charged, and what they are. You can also go through a mock purchase and look for any taxes that maybe added at the very end of the process. If you’re still not sure, contact the company and ask questions until you are completely comfortable with all the charges, and taxes you’re paying for.
A great company offering absolutely no taxes, fees, or an additional charge is WQN. WQN boasts clean products with highly competitive rates to destinations all over the world. Don’t get stuck paying more when you can pay less with truly clean products and companies like WQN that give the customer exactly what they paid for, and even more.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
What does Rounding really mean?!?!
Ever wonder what the difference between one minute rounding and three minute rounding is? Have you asked yourself why the rates so different if you're calling the same place? Which one is best for me?
When you come across a calling card or phone card product that offers 1 minute billing, it basically means that each call is rounded up to the nearest minute. For example, if you make a five and a half minute call, you will be billed for six minutes.
3 minute billing is similar, except the rounding will be for 3-minute increments. The same five and a half minute call you were billed six minutes for with the 1 minute billing card will now cost be rounded to 9 minutes.
Why would I get the 3-minute billing card if I were getting charged for more minutes even if I use the same amount?
Simple! The rate. Most companies will offer incentives to customers by dropping the per minute rate on their 3 minute billing products. For the same destination you can pay up to a few cents less per minute on the 3 minute billing product simply because of the rounding.
How do I know what's best for me?
The easiest way to decide which rounding will work best for you is to figure out whether you want to make one very long call or several shorter calls. If you want to use your card once and make a long call to your destination and then be done with it, you'll benefit from the 3 minute billing products. If you will continue using your calling card to make phone calls and the duration of the calls is shorter, you will benefit more from the 1 minute billing product.
Remember, if you use the entire value of the card in one call, the rounding will work with you rather than against you, it will lock in the lower rate per minute. Continuous use of the card and short duration calls will work adversely with the 3 minute billing product, as the rounding will chip away at your balance.
Hope this clears up the rounding confusion. If something isn’t clear, leave a comment and I’ll address it on the next entry.
When you come across a calling card or phone card product that offers 1 minute billing, it basically means that each call is rounded up to the nearest minute. For example, if you make a five and a half minute call, you will be billed for six minutes.
3 minute billing is similar, except the rounding will be for 3-minute increments. The same five and a half minute call you were billed six minutes for with the 1 minute billing card will now cost be rounded to 9 minutes.
Why would I get the 3-minute billing card if I were getting charged for more minutes even if I use the same amount?
Simple! The rate. Most companies will offer incentives to customers by dropping the per minute rate on their 3 minute billing products. For the same destination you can pay up to a few cents less per minute on the 3 minute billing product simply because of the rounding.
How do I know what's best for me?
The easiest way to decide which rounding will work best for you is to figure out whether you want to make one very long call or several shorter calls. If you want to use your card once and make a long call to your destination and then be done with it, you'll benefit from the 3 minute billing products. If you will continue using your calling card to make phone calls and the duration of the calls is shorter, you will benefit more from the 1 minute billing product.
Remember, if you use the entire value of the card in one call, the rounding will work with you rather than against you, it will lock in the lower rate per minute. Continuous use of the card and short duration calls will work adversely with the 3 minute billing product, as the rounding will chip away at your balance.
Hope this clears up the rounding confusion. If something isn’t clear, leave a comment and I’ll address it on the next entry.
Introduction
Hello All,
We're excited to launch our International Calling Guide to help answer questions and make international calling simple, fast, and convenient. There are a lot of easy to use features and tricks to help you save both money and time. Check back with us as we'll update frequently. If you have any questions, or need any tips, leave us a comment and we'll be sure to address them as fast as possible.
We're excited to launch our International Calling Guide to help answer questions and make international calling simple, fast, and convenient. There are a lot of easy to use features and tricks to help you save both money and time. Check back with us as we'll update frequently. If you have any questions, or need any tips, leave us a comment and we'll be sure to address them as fast as possible.
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