Re: [PLUG] from Paris to Phily

["Arthur S. Alexion" <arthur@alexion.com>]

gabriel rosenkoetter wrote:

> On Thu, Dec 06, 2001 at 11:23:52AM +0100, christophe barbé wrote:
> > Is the call included in the 20$ cost?
> > In france we have to pay the line for data access and for voice
> > access (even local call) and we also need to give money to the ISP.
>
> US telephone usage is billed differently than in Europe. Your call
> to the ISP will be a "local" call, over which you're welcome to do
> whatever you like.

That is, voice & data calls are not billed different.

> One pays for local calls with a set fee per month,
> not per minute. This gets a little hazy in metropolitan areas like
> Philly that have two area codes--215 and 610--where calling to the
> other area code is qualified as "regional calling" and may have a
> usage fee.

There are 4 types of calls:

Long distance calls - generally to different area codes - are billed in 
time increments.  Heavy competition has reduced these rates drastically. 
I pay 7 cents per minute billed in 6 second increments, which is fairly 
typical.

Regional toll calls are handled by the local telephone company. They are 
within the local area code but to the farther reaches. Reading, PA, 
about an hour drive from Philadelphia, is an example. Less competition 
has kept these rates higher. Reading costs about 45 cents, billed in one 
minute increments. It costs more to call Reading than Los Angeles, CA.

True local calls are included in your monthly bill at no extra charge.

The hidden costs are called "message units".  Some locals, short of 
regional toll calls are billed with these mystical charges, which, 
though small, are impossible to decipher. The small charges, which add 
up, tend to be city to suburb and vice versa.

In seleting an ISP and a phone plan. Make sure you avoid regional toll 
and message units.
> But, generally, only long distance phone calls charge a
> per minute fee worth worrying about.

Not really. See above.
____________________________________.
artAlexion
-------------
arthur@alexion.com
www.alexion.com

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