Dear user,
Rategate.com wants you to make a well educated caller. We want you to find and navigate through the telecommunication jungle. Thus we tried to collect many usefull infos concerning telecommunication issues.
We continously try to collect all telecommunication data to help you explain all the different telecommunication terms. One example is your telphone bill. You will find tons of different terms, rates and prices
allthough you really do not understand what you should pay for. If you navigate through our help and service section, you will find a lot of explanation for all those terms.
Please feel free to navigate through Rategate and make yourself a well educated caller.
Telecom helpdesk
Understand your phone bill
Save big on long distance calls
First check out the
Custom Comparison Tolls or look through the
Impartial Rate Comparisons to find out which plan would be the most appropriate for you.
In addition there are some principles you should follow in order to save money. These are this site's tips for finding out about the "latest and greatest" savings offered by the companies. Therefore we would appreciate if you support us by sending your comments or further suggestions.
Below you find our actual list of tricks & tips to save on long distance:
- Check the free comparison of long distance phone rate (link) to compare over 150 plans from different long distance companies to find the perfect match for you. Please note that we consider all carrier specific fees and charges, so that the rate per minute is exactly the amount you have to pay.
- If you haven´t found a plan that fits to your calling habits then check the carriers web sites which you will find on our long distance provider page (link)
- You can really save money if you use DIALAROUND 1010 service providers (LINK). So get familiar about such service. They let you use the services of a secondary long distance carrier during the hours you want to. Thus you can take advantage of special deals for your particular calling habits. Please check all details of the service. They frequently change their rates and may have not well explained surcharges.
- Analyze your own calling habits by figuring out for instance at what daytime you place most of your calls or whether you call more at weekends. Based on this information you can find the perfect plan that fits your calling pattern best.
- Contact the carrier and ask him whether he runs any promotions. Simply ask, "What is the best deal on long distance you are currently offering?" You'd be surprised what you can learn through this simple question !
- Get informed about the switching benefits that are offered by the different carriers.
- Call you carrier and ask whether he offers frequent flier mileage tie-ins. Many of the larger providers offer you 5 or 10 miles per dollar spent on their services. This can add up quickly if you talk very much! Why not get a free flight or free upgrade for your money ? However, be altered as a plan may offer frequent flier miles it is not the least expensive plan out there. The general rule for figuring out whether frequent flier bonuses are "worth it" is to value each airline frequent flier mile as about 2 cents. Consequently if a company gives you 5 miles for every dollar you spend on their services, that is worth approximately 10 cents per dollar spent (or a 10% discount for those math inclined types)!
- Do you pay your monthly long distance bill via credit card ?
Most carriers provide this service, and some even give you a discount on your rates if you use it. Additionally in case you have an affinity credit card you can get extra bonuses from your credit card company such as frequent flier miles, cash back, mall dollars, etc. Please always verify your monthly bills.
- We have developed Guide to Reading Your Monthly Bill to help you understand all of those pesky charges that appear on it. If there is anything still unclear please do not hesitate to contact us.
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