Sams phone card price change

randy in central missouri · #1 02/01/07, 06:48 PM

I thought my minutes went down fast. I've had the same card for several years. 4 cents a minute was a bargain.

Now with no notice they have changed it to 5 units per minute for instate calls. so the cost goes from 4 cents a minute to 20 cents a minute. calling to another state stayed the same.

this is a bunch of crap. i could see going up a little. but 5 times the cost. no way.

randy

arabian knight · #2 02/01/07, 07:00 PM

Why should they be any different then Tracfone? 10 cent a minute in Your area. Double that When Roaming~! So that is equal to 20 cents with Sam's. I dropped Tracfone like a hot potato a year ago~! no matter where I called in my Area it WAS Roaming~!! There is no way I could get around using that tracfone without roaming charges. And I bet that is what has happened to Sam's phone cards is they Went to Another Cell Tower Provider, so now in Your area you are NOW roaming instead of being in your calling area anymore, Cause they Rent Those Cell Towers from the BIG Cell Phone Companies, So I am sure that is what happened they switched Cell Towers (Providers) on ya.

kasilofhome · #3 02/01/07, 07:01 PM

Phone cards in (MCI) tryed to do this in Nov of 06 but the state or Fed Communications stopped it. Maybe someone else from Alaska Will have some in put on how and why it was stopped. We were warned for 2 months that instate call with the card would go from 2.9 to 35 cents per min.

freeinalaska · #4 02/01/07, 07:06 PM

Actually in Alaska the Regulatory Commission ruled that the rates had to be increased because the Interexchange Carriers (long distance companies) had been shorting the Local Exchange Carriers access charges that were supposed to be paid to them. The IXCs have had the thing held up before the commission for some time now. It has been determined that the IXCs owe a bunch of fees to the local telcos and they obviously don't want to pay.

kasilofhome · #5 02/01/07, 10:04 PM

Freeinalaska so does that mean that it is the rate will go up soon? I have about 600 min at the 2.9 deal thats what I use in a years time I would have to change the budget when it changes. (we do not get the news paper and the radio is in the car so I miss out on the local stuff.)

HomesteadBaker · #6 02/01/07, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randy in central missouri

I thought my minutes went down fast. I've had the same card for several years. 4 cents a minute was a bargain.

Now with no notice they have changed it to 5 units per minute for instate calls. so the cost goes from 4 cents a minute to 20 cents a minute. calling to another state stayed the same.

this is a bunch of crap. i could see going up a little. but 5 times the cost. no way.

randy

That is why my husband and I now use the DOLLAR GENERAL phone card exclusively for our instate long-distance calls...... 1 minute STILL equals 1 minute!!! The Walmart card we were using tripled the per minute rate for instate calls, while state-to-state calls remained the same rate as before.

Kitty

Helena · #7 02/02/07, 06:32 AM

HMMM...

...I also use the Sam's club card now for many years. I was thinking about just going back to the "regular" long distance with my phone company but feel as though that is a big temptation to make a big phone bill and that is why I liked the phone cards. Might have to check out the Dollar general phone cards. Thanks for the info..I did notice the rates went up but for in state calls that is really a lot of difference.

affenpinschermom · #8 02/02/07, 08:13 AM

On another thread someone mentioned the Onesuite phone cards. Have their rates changed also? I was thinking of switching the them.

freeinalaska · #9 02/02/07, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kasilofhome

Freeinalaska so does that mean that it is the rate will go up soon? I have about 600 min at the 2.9 deal thats what I use in a years time I would have to change the budget when it changes. (we do not get the news paper and the radio is in the car so I miss out on the local stuff.)

They are supposed to. The regulatory commission has said so. ATT is just holding it up with additional filings.

kasilofhome · #10 02/02/07, 08:21 PM

ATT or ACS

goldenlady · #11 02/03/07, 09:12 AM

In Michigan, my Sam's club card has gone to 1 minute equals 3 minutes for in-state calls. Still 1 minute equals 1 minute for out of state calls. I will definitely check into Dollar General cards - but with all so greedy, they will probably go up in time as well.

I thought probably the big phone companies were sqawking about the cheaper rates being offered by the cards than they themselves were offering and instead of lowering their rates, are making sure the others are raised.

Does anyone remember how smoke signals were used?????