I am simply curious (which is why I am asking here :D); since I know no one in the relevant area codes I really don’t give a sh-t. However, since I am curious by nature, can someone explain the probable reasoning for this message from my phone company (Telus)? What’s so special about 712 and 218?
It would probably help if you said where you lived. My guess would be that you lived near, but not too near, those particular areas. But for all I know, you live in Hawaii.
Canadjun’s profile says that he or she is located in Alberta.
The phone company for 712 charges more to call there.
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/voice/thread?tid=2b8f5befea381d29&hl=en
http://www.techdirt.com/article.php?sid=20070207%2F123022&threaded=true&sp=1
Oops - Sorry! I keep forgetting that now that I am a “guest” people don’t get to see my location without pulling up my profile. As I hope my name provides a hint for, I am Canadian (more specifically, from Edmonton). Also, I don’t think you dudes down there have Telus, do you?
Long distance carriers have to compensate the local phone companies that terminate their customers calls. Most US local telephone service is provided by the Regional Bell Operating Companies (former Ma Bell companies). Those RBOCs have very low prices for terminating such calls (for many reasons, I won’t go into here).
But many rural areas of the US have local phone services provided by small independent telephone companies. For other reasons, they are permitted to charge MUCH higher prices to the long distance companies to terminate calls.
While certainly not the only ones, those two area codes happened to be mostly served by expensive independent phone companies. Your long distance provider has decided that they aren’t going to eat the additional cost, but instead, pass it along to you in a surcharge.
Most long distance companies eat the higher cost, and make it up on average.
This came about because of companies like Talkee.com.
Companies such these have “party lines”
These lines cost nothing for people with free long distance, and the carrier gives Talkee.Com a refund on the billing for the huge number of people it directs to phone companies in those area codes