Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: wah@zach.fit.edu (Bill Huttig) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: What I Like About Telecom*USA Message-ID: <16365@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 23 Jan 91 18:03:32 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Reply-To: Bill Huttig Organization: Florida Institute of Technology, ACS, Melbourne, FL Lines: 91 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 62, Message 4 of 7 >[Moderator's Note: The thing about Teleconnect (their subsidiary) ... >MCI just recently took over ... :) let's give MCI a chance! :) Let's not (after my billing problem). [stuff deleted] >The Telecom*USA Card is much more advanced than AT&T's and includes: True >A personal 800 number for accessing their switch. It is *my* number, >and goes in DID-style to their switch where it identifies me. Then the >seven-digit number on the card serves as a PIN. Once I call into their From what I've been told is that there are several users per 800 number. [stuff about calling cards deleted] The Telecom*USA card is surcharged $.40 (at least in their southern region ). I still have a card that was a SouthLand calling card. (They were bought by SouthernNet which merged into Telecom*USA.) There is no surcharge on this card when dialing via 950. [stuff about 800 numbers deleted] >me off that the incoming call is via the 800 number(s). The personal >800 numbers cost $2.75 each per month plus calls, billed in six-second >increments. The (third) 800 number used for voicemail costs $2.75 per Telecom*USA is not offering the Hotline 800 service since the merger with MCI. The Personal 800 service is the new one ... there are two rates for it. The non PrimeTime rate of $5/mo and something around $.25/min billed in full minutes. PrimeTime rates (in addition to the normal primetime rates) is $2/mo and $.225/min day and $.1083/min evnings/night/weekend (PrimeTime Hours). [stuff deleted] >800 number -- used to access the switch itself in Cedar Rapids, IA -- >is free. Telecom*USA does not charge a surcharge for calls made on the >card ... just the cost of the call itself. The rates are 'competitive'. See above. >service. I get *one bill* monthly for *everything* from them, all >nicely detailed, with ANI on the 800 numbers, time of day and ANI on >callers in voicemail, etc. They seem to have full international >service and are willing to bill it in on their card, should I be at a >payphone, etc. I think I will call them tomorrow and ask them to give >me an 800 number for each of my cell phones also. At $2.75 per number, >the price is certainly right! I dont think they will add the hotline 800 numbers anymore. The ANI is also done with the Personal 800 service ... But with the Telecom*USA card and MCI Card (which looks like the Telecom*USA card but as a 14 digit PIN) and the SoutherNet/SouthLand card they only give origninating city. You can probbly add Personal 800 numbers to a Telecom*USA/Teleconect account. Telecom*USA/MCI summary of rates: Telecom*USA card surcharge $.40 + regular rates. MCI*CARD surcharge $.80 + regular rates. SouthLand/SouthernNet no surcharge on 950; same as Telecom*USA dial one. PrimeTime $7.50/mo $.1083/min during plan hours. PrimteTime 800 $2/mo additional $.225/min day and $.1083 other times. >I'd say my average bill from Telecom*USA for the 800 numbers, >voicemail, voicenews, etc is about $60 per month and they are not >handling any of my outgoing long distance yet since I still give all >that to AT&T. PAT] Wow, and I thought my bills were high ... Bill [Moderator's Note: My total LD bill from AT&T and TelecomUSA for *personal* calls is about $100-120 per month, not including the voicenews and voicemail stuff from Telecom*USA. The bill is higher than that, but I get my office to pay for their share of it. PAT]