Total-Call-Long-Distance

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 4.4¢ (or 3.9¢) plan a promotional rate?
No, the 4.4¢ (or 3.9¢) plan is NOT a promotional rate! While we cannot guarantee that your rates will never increase, we are proud of the fact that we have NEVER had a rate increase! We are committed to bringing our customers the best value in the long distance market for years to come!

How will I know when my service has been switched?
To confirm that the switchover has taken place, please call 1-700-555-4141 and listen for the carrier name to verify your service. There is NO CHARGE when dialing the "700 test" number. In the following states: AZ, CO, IA MN, MT, ND, NM, OR, SD, UT, WA, or WY, you should hear, “Thank you for choosing Sprint Communications.” In all other states, you should hear, “Thank you for choosing Qwest Communications.” If after 5-10 business days you do not hear one of the above messages verifying your service, please contact our sales department at 1-877-603-5757 or our customer service department at the number listed on your confirmation e-mail.

(Note: your current long distance re-seller may be using Qwest or Sprint to provide you with LONG DISTANCE service. If so, you will need to verify WITH US that the switch-over has taken place). If the "700 test" is still saying "Welcome to AT&T, MCI, etc", then you have NOT been switched over to our service. Note: Do NOT switch over to Qwest or Sprint (by calling your local telephone company) UNTIL you have received notification from us that it is "ok" to do so!

How long should it take for my phone lines to switch over?
It should take 3 to 4 business days (7 to 10 on the Sprint network) for your line(s) to be transferred to our service. If it takes longer than this, something is wrong. Please contact our office immediately at 1-877-603-5757 or e-mail us at provisioning@total-call-long-distance.com The top reasons why your line(s) may not have been switched are as follows:

1. your local telephone company does not accept electronic requests (small ones usually don't);

2. your telephone number is new (our electronic request will always be "bounced" back on new numbers);

3. you have a "PIC freeze” on your line (our electronic request will be denied in this situation as well); OR

4. your local telephone company is a re-seller (also known as a "Local Service Provider" or LSP).

Can I make long distance phone calls before Qwest or Sprint has been set up?

Yes. If you would liketo take advantage of the great rates immediately, please allow 48 hours after you have submitted your order. Then you can use our Dial Around feature by following the step-by-step instructions below.

Instructions for using the Dial Around feature:

• Step 1: Please dial 1-888-634-1550

• Step 2: Auto Voice Prompt, "Please enter your destination number"

• Step 3: Dial your destination number

  For domestic calls: 1 + Area Code + Number

  For international calls:  011 + Country Code + City Code + Number

• Step 4: Auto Voice Prompt, "Your Call is Being Processed"

Note: Dial Around feature will only work with the registered phone number(s) you have supplied in your order. The rate for using the Dial Around feature is slightly higher -- it will be 4.9 cents/minute for interstate calls.

What is a "pic freeze"?
A "pic freeze" is a preventative measure that keeps you from being "slammed" (switched with or without your authorization) to another long distance service. Unfortunately, a pic freeze will prevent us from transferring your service electronically.

Should I remove the "pic freeze" from my line?
No, this will not be necessary. However, you will need to perform a "self pic" as described below.

How do I do a "self pic"?
Performing a "self pic" is a two-step process:

1. First, you must determine (from us) what network your lines were provisioned over AFTER you have been approved (it usually takes about 24 hours to be approved). Please e-mail us at provisioning@total-call-long-distance.com

2. Once you have received the correct network information, simply call your local telephone company and have them change your service to carrier information that we provide to you (Verizon customers will also need the "Alpha Numeric" code, which we will provide as well). Make sure you have them switch your inter-state, intra-state, international, AND intra-lata (if applicable). As soon as your local telephone company makes the change in their switch, you will have our service!

Will you notify me if my long distance service has NOT been transferred?
No. If our electronic request gets "bounced" back for any reason, your long distance service will not be switched without your help and cooperation. All that we ask is that you pro-actively participate in the switchover process by making sure that you have been switched (via the "700 test") AND that you complete the steps mentioned above if you find that the switch has NOT occurred.

After I have been successfully transferred to your service, should I put a "pic freeze" on my line (to prevent "slamming")?
Yes! To place a "pic freeze" on your line(s), simply notify your local telephone company verbally or in writing that you want to "freeze in" your preferred long distance carrier (that's us!), until such time as you tell them otherwise. If you do NOT think that "pic freeze" is important, THINK AGAIN (especially if you are currently with AT&T or MCI-Worldcom). As soon as your current long distance company finds out that you have left them, they will AUTOMATICALLY send out an electronic request to switch you back! This will not usually occur right away - it may happen 2 or 3 months later. If you call your previous carrier to complain about it, they will invariably tell you that "we noticed that another phone service slammed you, so we did you the favor of switching you back." For this reason, we recommend that you place a "pic freeze" on your telephone line(s) once you have confirmed that the long distance service has been connected through us. And when you call your local telephone company to put the "pic freeze" on your line(s), please BE SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT FREEZING IN YOUR OLD LONG DISTANCE CARRIER! The change request that we send electronically to your local telephone company hits their switch FIRST - their computers may take up to 10 days to reflect the changes made in the local switch! So for this reason, please be sure to verify with the operator at your local telephone company that you are indeed freezing in the correct long distance carrier.

This brings up another question - will you contact my previous carrier and cancel my service agreement with them, or do I have to do that myself?
Good question. Glad you asked! We do NOT have the authority to cancel your previous long distance service. If you are switching from a long distance company that has a monthly fee or minimum (for example, AT&T charges $4.95/month for some of their plans), you will need to notify them of your intention to leave their service (AFTER you have verified that you are on our service), or THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BILL YOU FOR THE MINIMUM OR MONTHLY FEE.

What if I move or want to add a new line - do I have to do anything special to get the same long distance rates as I have currently with you?
Yes! As with any long distance carrier, you must notify us of ANY changes to avoid "open network" rates. Let's say (as an example) you decide to add a new telephone line for a small home business. So, you call your local telephone company (Bell South, Ameritech, etc), and have them install a 2nd line into your home. They ask the question: "Which long distance carrier would you like to have on your new line?" and you respond with: "Give me the same carrier that I have on my existing line." This is the wrong answer! NEVER do this without first making sure that your telephone number(s) are in our database coded at the correct rates. Call us first with any changes!

Can I order your incoming toll-free service by itself (stand-alone), and not take your outgoing long distance?
No. To get our incoming toll-free service, you must also take our outgoing long distance service.

If my "1+" outgoing long distance service has been sucessfully switched over, should I also assume that my INCOMING toll-free number(s) has been ported to your service as well?
No. Your toll-free number(s) will usually take 14 days to be switched to our service, and maybe LONGER if your previous carrier will not release the number. Your previous carrier may not release your toll-free number(s) for the following reasons:

1. The name you entered on the Responsible Organization Form does NOT match the name that your previous carrier shows in their system;

2. The address does not match; OR

3. You have an unpaid past due balance.

There are other reasons, but these are the top three.

What are the rates for 800# calls?
The rates for inbound 800# calls can be found here (calls from Canada and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Island will be billed at much higher rates).

Is there a monthly fee for 800 numbers?
$1.00 per 800 number per month.

My local telephone company charges a one-time switchover fee (usually $5 for the long distance and $5 for the local-toll, if applicable) to me every time I change long distance carriers. Will TOTAL CALL reimburse me for these fees?
Yes. Attach a copy of the bill from your local telephone company showing the change over fee to the first or second TOTAL CALL bill you pay. Reimbursement will show as a credit on your next TOTAL CALL bill.

What is "intra-LATA" service?
"LATA" stands for "Local Access Transport Area," and refers to calls that are too short to be considered "long distance," and too long to be considered "local." Some other names for this service are local toll, regional, zone calling, etc. Your local telephone company usually handles these calls. If you want your local phone company to continue to handle your intra\-lata calls, please be sure to check "NO" to that question on our online sign-up form. If your local telephone company will allow us to switch your intra-lata service (some will and some won't), and you want us to do so, please be sure to check "YES" to that question on our online sign-up form. The cost of a "local toll" call with TOTAL CALL is the same as an in-state call. (For your intrastate rate click here)

If Intra-Lata service is available in your state for 1-plus dialing (1 + (area code) + the number), we will bill you for these calls at the same per-minute rate as your in-state rate (unless otherwise specified). If the service is NOT yet available in your state for 1-plus dialing, and you still want it, you will need to force our 7-digit access code on EACH Intra-Lata call. Do this by dialing our 7-digit code, then 1 + (area code) + the number.

Your interstate rate is attractive, but my local carrier currently handles my local-toll (also known as "regional," "zone calling," or "intra-lata") calls at a rate lower than what you can offer me. Can I EXCLUDE my intra-lata service, and keep it my local telephone company?
Yes. There is a question on our online signup form which asks "Do your want our intra-lata service?" Just check it "NO." Also, it wouldn't be a bad idea to call your local telephone company, and have them "freeze in" your intra-lata, so that you know for sure that it will not get switched.

Can I sign up for just your interstate long distance service?
No. Interstate, intrastate and international come bundled together, and CANNOT be separated (at least on our end). If you can work out something with the local telephone company as a work around, that's great. But on our end, it cannot be separated!

What are your rates to Alaska and Hawaii?
The rate for all outbound calls to Alaska and Hawaii is 30 cents per minute.

What about night, evening and weekend rates?
All of TOTAL CALL’s rates FLAT, meaning they always remain the same, 24 hour a day, 7 day a week.

Can I use my calling card to make international calls? What are the rates?
Yes. International calling card calls are 5¢ per minute higher than the published international rates and are billed in full-minute increments (60/60).

Is there a minimum monthly long distance charge?
The 4.4¢ plan has NO monthly fees or minimums (as long as you have 3 lines or less). The 3.9¢ plan has a $2.50 per line minimum if your usage on that particular line drops below $20 per month.

Who do I contact for any changes or additions to my existing account?
You can call our customer service department toll-free at the number listed on your e-mail welcome letter to make any changes or additions to your existing account.

What are the billing increments on domestic 1+ calls?
TOTAL CALL bills in 6-second increments after the first 6-seconds (6/6) for domestic calls with the 48 states (international and offshore calls are billed in FULL-MINUTE INCREMENTS!). Most long distance provider’s bill in one-minute increments. If your call last 2 minutes, you get billed for 2 minutes. However, if your call lasts for 2 minutes and 1 second, most providers will round up the call and bill you for 3 minutes. 6-second billing is a more precise than full-minute billing, and saves you money! For that same 2 minute and 1-second call, you would get billed for 2.1 minutes instead of 3 minutes! With 6-second billing, you will save an average of 3 to 5% per call based upon the call length over full-minute billing.

What’s the “catch” on your plans?
There is no “catch” or hidden fees. Everything is disclosed to you upfront. Our company is made up of consumers just like you, who want a great deal with no bull.