Students’ Phone Cards Can Be a Charge

While most colleges and universities provide students with e-mail--a great way to stay in touch any time of day for little or no cost--not everyone they’ll want to reach is online.

Already, many freshmen and returning students, not to mention parents, have received numerous slick phone-service ads in the mail and been bombarded by them at campus bookstores.

For most students who live in a dorm, the main decision is probably about which company’s calling card to use, since residence hall telephones are usually part of the campus system.

Before students leave the nest, or soon after, it’s a good idea to discuss who’s going to foot the phone bill. Some parents who are able and willing might consider giving their college-bound children a calling card tied to the family number--to ensure there’s a way to phone home (and maybe keep an eye on expenses).

For students and parents seeking to snip the telephone umbilical cord, several long-distance companies have calling-card rates targeted to college students.

Some campuses have exclusive deals with long-distance carriers. The Claremont Colleges consortium, for instance, provides the option of using AT&T;, and some Cal State campuses offer MCI. Such plans give students a small discount on regular rates, which vary depending on the time, day and destination of calls.

A call to Los Angeles from Claremont, for example, could cost 10 cents a minute between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and 8 cents between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Friday. But a call to Farmingdale, N.Y., between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. could cost 29 cents per minute and between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., 18.5 cents a minute, according to AT&T.; On weekends, the calls would cost a few cents per minute less.

However, students are not precluded from looking for other options.

If the phone can be put in the student’s name, that opens the door to using such services as 10-10-321 or 10-10-811, as well as brand-name long-distance carriers. Some plans charge flat rates in addition to a monthly fee, regardless of time or where the direct-dial call is placed. One example is AT&T;’s One Rate series, which, like others, charges 10 cents a minute. Other plans’ rates depend on when the call is placed. It’s important to shop around, either by calling the long-distance companies and asking how much it would cost to call a number you call regularly or checking out their Web site, since the “perfect” plan for you should fit your usage patterns.

With the plans geared to college students, a few of the national carriers throw in freebies and discounts for use at retail centers for music, clothing and travel and put out additional college-related content on their Web sites.

Most companies require that students be at least 18 years old and provide proof of college enrollment. Although there often is a credit check, most companies say they reject students only for a bad credit history, not if they’re just building one.

Another option for long-distance calling that doesn’t require a credit check is using prepaid cards. The caller controls the amount of money to be spent before even picking up the phone, he or she can talk only for the time already paid for. However, such rates are usually higher, between 25 and 45 cents a minute, than student rates on calling cards.

If keeping an eye on the clock isn’t appealing, that might not be a feasible option. Another point to consider is that when time runs out, the card has to be “recharged,” either with a credit card, check or trip to a nearby vendor--not always convenient when you desperately need to reach that old high school chum in Manhattan or Muncie.

Some companies hope students will kill two birds with one stone. GTE, for example, has a credit card that allows credit on a prepaid phone card. The more you charge, the more time you get. Again, it’s important to check out the fine print.

Remember, you’re not getting something for nothing: You have to spend money to earn time credit. When that credit card bill comes, somebody is responsible for those charges. Plus, the account must be in good standing for the user to earn or redeem the phone-card credit.

Some phone companies offer toll-free numbers. Don’t let the phrase fool you, though. Somebody’s eventually going to have to pay for the call. (But families might be so eager to hear from their children that they’ll gladly pay.)

After signing up with a service, it’s a good idea to keep on top of the latest long-distance promotions in case they’re better than what you’re getting because, just as students often do with their major, you can always switch.