AT&T Direct is a way to contact the AT&T operator in the USA without having to ring any operator in the UK (or whichever country you happen to be in). It offers a means of calling, (normally) without the use coins, without going through the operator, avoiding high hotel surcharges when travelling. Calls can be placed to the US from 130 countries, and between more than 75 countries. AT&T place advers listing access numbers in international editions of most newspapers.
You can contact AT&T in the UK, on 0800 064 0001 or via AT&T direct itself on 0500 89 7801. You would need an account with AT&T to use it to call the USA. It may be cheaper than dialling via BT but don't bank on this. Other phone companies in the US, such as Sprint on 0800 890 222, offer similar services.
They have also announced an arrangement with Mercury for 0500 89 0011. calls to the US placed through this number should cost slightly less.
[Someone else proffered this information - Ed.]
When I last compared rates between AT&T, Sprint, MCI, BT & Mercury (I have accounts with all five...don't ask why). Mercury seemed to be about the cheapest, but had the poorest quality connections. The real killer with all US carriers is the 1st minute charges. I think it costs over $3 for the first minute. It's not too bad averaged out over a long call, but if you get an answering machine on the other end you are stuffed. With Mercury if I get an answering machine it costs 10-20p for the call.
I know MCI has a scheme that will allow UK residents to have MCI cards, I don't know about Sprint and AT&T.
Here are the UK numbers for
MCI: 0800 89 0222 Sprint: 0800 89 0877 Interglobe : 0500 581413 WorldPlus : 0500 110110 WorldDirect: 0800 181153 TRT : 0800 890456 Longshore : 0800 892340
Most will allow calling cards to be set up to credit cards for UK residents, or allow billing direct to credit cards if you have a telephone PIN set up on your card.
Flextel (0701 0701 701) - which uses part of the 0956 (Mercury One2One) number range - is a personal numbering service. It is NOT a Mercury product. Flextel like to call it a flexible numbering service. Since 7 June 1995, Flextel have also been using 0701 codes.
Basically you buy a Flextel number and just tell Flextel where you want calls that number to be connected. They then connect them. If you want the destination changed, you simply tell Flextel what you want it changed to. In a little while you also will be able to update the destination by DTMF input.
Standard service subscribers have nothing to pay apart from the annual charge. There is no monthly bill, no hiddden cost. The caller pays for the whole of the call. For calls from BT a small translation fee is charged to the caller. This fee is significantly less than 1 penny per minute over normal trunk cheap rate. Peak rate rises to just over 2p/min. For call from some other operators. there is now an additional fee. The small fee is sufficient to onward route calls to all normal UK numbers. (Connection charge UKP141, Annual service charge UKP28.20 both incl. of VAT). See <URL:http://www.flextel.co.uk/> for their info.
Swiftcall (0171) 488 2001 have service to North America, a few Asian countries, Australia, and Israel. You subscribe by calling them and quoting your VISA or Access details. They debit your credit card by UKP23.50 (UKP20 + VAT) and set up an account with that value. Call charges, at the moment [16 Mar 94], are as follows
UK-USA/Canada Normal Rate (Mon 09.00 - Fri 21.00) 24p/min UK-USA/Canada Cheap Rate (Fri 21.00 - Mon 09.00) 20p/min
(remember to add on the cost of the 0171 call to their UK switch & VAT)
Once your account is set up you dial an access number, enter your 9-digit PIN and then you're given American Dial Tone (provided by Sprint - 'phone +1 700 555 4141 on the US dialtone to hear). There are no minimum usage surcharges. When you have used your paid for units you can 'phone them up and purchase more. You can write them a letter giving specific authorisation if you are concerned.
[Comparison at October, 1993: Sources - Swiftcall/ jharuni@micrognosis.co.uk. BT column includes Option 15; BT Prices at 15 May 1994]
Destination Swiftcall BT BT PremierLine Mercury
band
Australia 67p 58.2p 6 49.4p 61.9p
Canada/USA 34p 46.6p 4 39.6p 38.4p
Hong Kong 65p 81.1p 8 69.0p 77.4p
India 100p 141.0p 12 119.8p 101.7p
Israel 100p 108.1p 9 91.9p 96.5p
Japan 100p 126.5p 11 107.6p 98.6p
To call Use
Australia BT or Mercury
Canada/USA Swiftcall
Hong Kong Swiftcall
India Swiftcall or Mercury
Israel Mercury or BT
Japan Mercury or Swiftcall
[BT reduced prices to Australia from Feburary 94]
Telepassport by Mastercall (01933) 401552 offer up to 70% discounts on US calls. For a fixed one-off fee of UKP25, the user gets a New York phone number which, after dialling and hanging up, calls back the UK number with a US dialling tone. The UK user can then make calls or faxes anywhere in the US at 50 cents perminute any time of the day.
Telepassport is run by the editor of the Telecom Digest, Pat Townson (ptownson@eecs.nwu.edu). For further information, send the following email message
To: tel-archives@lcs.mit.edu
Subject: (will be ignored)
reply user@email.address
info telepassport
help
end
Business Communications Management (BCM) offer a service which gives you a US dialtone. Rates from the UK to the US or US to UK are $0.29/minute, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, based on a 30-second minumum, six-second increment billing, $25/month minimum usage and a $50 sign-up fee.
This is charged to your credit card (Master card/ Visa/ AmEx/ Diners). Email vthiry@netcom.com for an ascii version of their brochure and price list.
Dial International Telecom Limited (0181) 490 5000 offer a service similar to Swiftcall, you use your credit card to charge an account, and then can talk until the credit runs out.
No connection/sign up fee, minimum pre-payment UKP25 at set up, payable by cheque, credit card or travellers cheques. London PoP.
They also run a callback system, when you dial an 0181 number from abroad, and the company call you back and give you a UK dial tone.... (charged at the same rates as if you direct dialled from the UK to the country). Number they callback is preprogrammed, but user changeable.
Special offer at the moment. For calling the states, if you set up with a pre-payment of UKP100 you get the first 1/2 Hr free...
First Telecom plc (0171) 572 7700 (enquiry@first-telecom.com) offer
'Globally Speaking' [prices at 11 Mar 1996]
Globally Weekend
BT BT Speaking Special
Country Standard Economy Standard Economy Offer
USA 33.60 32.20 14p 14p 10p
Other destinations at <URL:http://www.first-telecom.com/>
Weekends are Friday 8pm to Monday 8am. They bill in 15 seconds increments, take no setup fee, and initial minimum purchase is UKP10 (UKP11.75 incl. VAT). If prepaying UKP100 they offer 2% discount, if prepaying UKP200 they give 3% discount. They take credit cards, and you can give them authorisation to charge when your account is running 'low'. It is also possible to call US 800 numbers at the above charges.
ACC Long Distance UK Ltd 414 Chiswick High Road London W4 5TF Telephone: (0181) 995 3144 Fax: (0181) 995 8230
There is no membership fee, signup fee or monthly fee's on the ACCess 1601 service.
Calls are charged to the nearest second and with a minimum charge of 3 seconds. International calls are billed to the nearest six second increment.
Billing is monthly and includes a fully itemised statement. Bills can be paid on account, via Direct Debit or via a Visa or Mastercard credit card. Check if you wish to use Visa Delta debit card or similar.
Standard Economy Weekend
National Calls over 56.4km 6.20 3.70 2.50
National Calls up to 56.4km 5.50 2.60 2.25
Local Calls, See Note 5.85 5.85 5.85
Calls to PCN's 11.15 7.15 As Economy
Calls to Mobile Phones 37.00 27.00 As Economy
Calls to Premium Rate Services 39.00 33.20 As Economy
NOTE: ACCess 1601 service is not designed for your local calls.
However if used, local calls will be charged as stated.
Version: 2.10 Last-modified: Time-stamp: <96/05/12 23:04:20 jrg>