Calling Cards?

[chrisandkris]

New to Sonic and love it! Telling friends often!!

When leaving AT&T I also had to leave my long distance carrier who provided me a calling card so I could use my long distance from anywhere. I know that I can purchase calling cards for the few times when I'd need one, but I'd LOVE to see Sonic provide calling cards, even U.S. only ones (if need be), to customers.

Any chance of that happening?

Thanks!
Chris

[dane]

No, I don't believe so. Calling cards are a saturated and competitive space, and I don't see that we could do anything unique or interesting in that arena.

[chrisandkris]

Hey Dane,

Not thinking of it as a revenue stream type of thing, but more of a customer care kind of thing where I could access my Sonic account from a pay phone (or similar) and be able to use my free local and long distance service. But if that's not do-able, that's cool. Just thought I'd ask.

Thanks again.
Chris

[dane]

Hey Dane,

Not thinking of it as a revenue stream type of thing, but more of a customer care kind of thing where I could access my Sonic account from a pay phone (or similar) and be able to use my free local and long distance service. But if that's not do-able, that's cool. Just thought I'd ask.

Thanks again.
Chris

Not really, there would be costs from the pay phone operator.

Maybe just use Skype?

[chrisandkris]

Are you sure? While with AT&T, my long distance carrier was Pioneer Telephone and we had calling cards from them that would allow us to access their service from anywhere, even a pay phone, and be charged only their per minute rates.

Skype won't do it. I'm a Youth Pastor and I'd usually only use my calling card while away at summer camps where there is no cell service nor internet access. Part of why you "get away from it all" I guess, but makes it hard to contact your wife at home. Calling cards will work fine, just was hoping to be able to access Sonic long distance instead.

Maybe someday........**plants seed in Dane's brain**

[dane]

=)

[wa2ibm]

... While with AT&T, my long distance carrier was Pioneer Telephone ...

You can still contact any of the long distance carriers and set up an account with them and they'll provide you with a calling card that you can use from camp (or anywhere else). It just won't be tied to your Fusion phone number, and you'll receive the bill directly from the LD carrier, but other than that, it would resolve your issue.

[chrisandkris]

But wouldn't I still have monthly government fees on that account, even if I didn't use the card? Or are those fees only assessed when I use the card? Even with calling cards, I'm finding as I research them that, so far, they all seem to have some government fees attached but also a payphone surcharge so that the .2-.3 cent cost goes up quite a bit. That's why I was hoping for a way to access my Sonic account via calling card access. Not a big deal though and thanks for the idea. I'll investigate LD carriers and see what is out there.

[virtualmike]

Several comments...

1. I had Pioneer LD before I ported to Sonic.net. Loved the service and prices, but the calling card rates ARE higher (5.9c/minute, as opposed to 2.9c/minute for dial direct from home).

2. You can get cheap calling cards in many convenience stores, some offering rates under 10c/minutes. Costco used to sell Verizon calling cards, but it appears that has been discontinued.

3. Calls placed from pay phones will incur a surcharge, either as a flat amount, or a number of minutes deducted from the card. This is because the FCC said the payphone owner deserves compensation for use of the phone for dialing a toll-free number.

[shri]

what about the calling card to be used as a soft phone on the computer like vonage or 8x8?