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Calling Card Glossary

Phone card Terms Explained


Prepaid calling cards are an every day long-distance service. The telephone companies often complicate their service with dozens of new words, mnemonics and acronyms. The average phone card user has no concept what all these terms and letters mean. We have written this glossary to try and provide our customers with an understanding for all the terms you might encounter in the phone card industry. Each day the phone technology is advancing and inevitably someone somewhere is developing new words, abbreviations or acronyms about the communications industry. This is your chance to try to understand them.

800 Number Monthly Fees

This allows for you to have a personal toll-free 800 number at a fixed charge.

800 Number Rates

This is a charge to your personal toll-free 800 number, and you are charged for the calls to this number as the receiver, rather than the per-minute charge being paid by the caller.

Access Charges

Access charges are fees that local carriers charge to their customer for using their local network to send and receive long distance calls. These charges can be made to both your long distance provider as well as you the consumer. This charge to the consumer is known as a SLC (Subscriber Line Charge), and is a flat monthly charge. (View PICC below)

Billing Address

This is your address to which your long distance bill is sent.

Billing Increments

Long distance carriers round up the time you spend on each call. This term is referred to as billing increments. For example should a carrier charge you by the minute, then a 45 second call will be charged as one minute or (60 seconds). If you are charged by the carrier in 6 second increments then that same 45 second call would be rounded off to 48 seconds.

Broadband

This is the name for one of the latest and most advanced technologies in the Telecommunication's industry. It allows the customer to receive video, audio, data and interactive services from the same provider, all in one bundle. Broadband allows your call to be routed to the receiver digitally.

Bundling

Bundling is a marketing term that combines related Telecommunication services into a joint bill. Some providers give special discounts to consumers when bundling their service into one bill.

Calling Card Rate

This charge per minute rate of any long distance calling card attached to your account. This is usually much higher than your normal long distance rate. (They make you pay more for convenience.)

Cramming

This is an illegal activity done by Long Distance Carriers who bill you for additional services never requested. Please review your bill carefully, and if you feel you have been crammed contact the Federal Communication's commission. (FCC)

Deaveraging

Many long distance providers vary their charges in different locations for the same service. This is because it is more expensive to provide the service in some areas than others.

Directory Assistance Service

This service is usually attached with a fee that will be charged to you on a per use basis. This service allows you to retrieve information from a database of directories and listings.

Enhanced Service

Long distance carriers provide services which include voicemail, call waiting, text messaging, and most of the time there are additional charges. Some providers issue these services free of charge as an incentive to build their customer base.

Facilities-Based Carrier:
Most the larger telephone company's use and install their own network facilities. They use there own infrastructure rather then leasing from another carrier. Telephone companies who have their own infrastructure do not mean the best deals. Some of the resellers who are smaller can provide you with the better deals.

FCC - Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

The main government regulator for long distance telephone carriers.

Fiber-Optic Cables

Fiber optic cables which are often used in the in the Telecommunications industry are made up of thin and extra clear glass fibers. These digital data signals travels down them in pulses of light. These cables are the most important in today's Telecommunications industry.

InterLata Rates

Lata stands for Local Access Transport Area. A Lata is a geographic region from where long distance calls are sent and received. Many states have more than one LATA, and these rates are for calls between LATA's but within the same state. They are also known as Intrastate or in-state.
IntraLata Rates

These are rates for local toll or local long distance calls that require long distance access even though they are within the same area code as the caller.
Interstate Rates

This refers to the charge of your calls made to other states. This is referred to as state-to-state or out-of-state
IXC

This acronym stands for Interexchange Carrier, and is the standard term for all long distance telephone carriers in the U.S.
Less Than Minimum Penalty

This is a monthly minimum fee you pay if you do not meet the minimum number of minutes for that month. Some individuals have a certain amount of minutes per month should those minutes not be used you still pay the flat monthly fee.
LOA - Letter Of Agency

This is a standard form long distance companies require you to sign when changing carriers.
LATA - Local Access Transport Area

Please see InterLata Rates above.
Local Toll Calls

Please see InterLata Rates above.
Mobile Rates

This is a charge to call an international mobile phone in other countries. To call a mobile phone in another country they are subject to higher rates. Some carriers make the distinction between international mobile phones and international landline. Some do and some don't.
Monthly Business Line Charge

Some phone companies may charge you an additional monthly fee for every business line that you have.
Monthly Fee

A fixed rate is charged monthly by your long distance provider to remain with them regardless of your call history each month.
Monthly Minimum

Many calling plans charge you a monthly minimum, or a fee for a minimum of dollar usage of your long distance.
Monthly Minimum To Avoid Penalty

This is a monthly fee you must pay every month to avoid a surcharge for low volume calls. Some providers offer better rates per minute when consumers pay a monthly minimum.
MRC - Monthly Recurring Cost

This is a fixed charge that must be paid for some services that are not billed according to the amount used.
NPA - Numbering Plan Area

This is the area code or the first three numbers of a telephone number.
Number Portability

This service allows you to keep your old number when you switch to another provider.
Off-Peak

The 0ff-Peak time is between 7:00 pm and 7:00 am in the United States on weekdays (6pm and 6am in some countries). This is when the cost of phone calls is cheaper because of lower volume. Off -Peak hours include Saturday/Sunday's and holidays. However, it is important to note that in some countries the weekend rates and evening rates may not be the same as each other though both are always less than the regular rate. Also, most long distance providers in the U.S. charge their customers a flat rate regardless of time of day or day of the week.
Originating Calls

Local or long distance calls originating from your phone line.
Peak-Rate

The peak-rate is the time between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm in the U.S. on weekdays, however, in some other countries the Peak Rates are from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. This is the time where call volume is usually the highest.
PICC - Primary Interexchange Carrier Charge

Local Exchange Carriers or LEC's bill the long-distance carrier a fee for using their local networks to send and receive long distance calls. The long distance carrier then recovers this fee by charging you the user. (View access charges above).
RBOC - Regional Bell Operating Companies

The original seven phone companies created when AT&T broke apart.
RespOrg - Responsible

This is the company that is accountable for conveying and organizing the 800 numbers. If you have one of these and switch carriers you should sign a form that you can obtain from them, otherwise, you may receive a different 800 number with your new carrier.
Service Address
This is your physical location where your telephone line is located.
Slamming
Slamming is illegal, and if you become the victim of this activity, you need to contact the FCC or local Better Business Bureau. It involves your long distance or local service carrier changing without your knowledge or consent. This can be prevented by contacting the customer service office of your long distance and local carriers, and ask for a PIC freeze to be placed on your account.
Sunday Rate
See Off-Peak.
Switched Access Service
This is the '1' that you dial for long distance before the number.
Terminating Calls
These are calls that you receive on your phone line.
USF Charge - Universal Service Fund
This is a mandatory fee that is added on your bill in order to provide funds for phone and internet services in libraries, schools, and health providers in rural areas. It also helps cover the cost of people in low income areas.

Those are the important terms you will need to know when shopping for your prepaid phone card. As you can see, you need to be very careful when buying a phone card, as there are many hidden charges. Remember to look for the companies that tell you up front exactly what you'll pay, and exactly what you're paying for. Should a company need to hide these charges, then they're trying to cheat you - not good business practice. But don't get discouraged about Pre-Paid phone cards. There are many reputable companies providing excellent service. So do your research, because there are many out there.

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