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LAW NOTES
Many
people in the DPLS service area pay for long distance telephone calls in advance
by buying prepaid phone cards. Users should know the details of how a
particular prepaid phone card works before buying one. Before you buy a prepaid
phone card, you should copy down the phone card company’s customer service
number and call and ask the following questions:
*What is
the per minute rate for in state calls, out of state
calls, and
international calls?
*Do the
rates vary due to the time of day?
*Is there
a higher rate for the first minute?
*Is there
a charge for calls that are not completed, or
when you reach the
company’s toll free number but do
not place a call?
*Does the
company charge any connection fees or
surcharges?
*Does the
company charge monthly maintenance fees?
*Is there
a connection fee for international calls? If so,
how much?
*Is there
a surcharge for calling from a payphone? If so,
how much?
*Can I
place calls to more than one number without
redialing the PIN?
*Will
there be a notification when the card is running
out of time?
*Are
customer service operators available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week?
*When
does the card expire?
If the
company cannot fully answer all these questions, shop around until you find a
company that can.
NOTE:
Dakota Plains Legal Services is providing this information in partnership with
this newspaper as a public service. This article is not intended as legal
advice. Always talk to a lawyer before taking any legal action.
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