A recent study made by the Hispanic Institute, based in Washington, D.C., revealed that when buying certain prepaid phone cards, you might not be getting what was advertised.
The study included 45 calling cards. Each card was tested for one call each to Mexico and Guatemala. Around 30% of the 45 cards tested delivered the full call-time promised. 7 of the 45 cards (15.6%) tested didn’t work at all while 8 of the cards tested had call completion rates of 50% or less. The 3 cards left provided less than 20% of the minutes promised.
Carla Ramos, co-owner of Garibaldi Latino Market, said she tries to steer customers to cards that are recommended by other customers. She said some cards will work better in calling particular countries or states within the United States.
“Some of the cards with try to defraud people but not all companies,” she said.
Cards tested
The following cards were tested in the Institute study:
Florida ($5) – Telmex Compañero, STI Florida, Touch-Tel Hondureña, Touch-Tel Guatemalteca, Touch-Tel Salvadoreña, Dollar Phone Coffee Time, Dollar Phone Rey, MPTAFlorida Idol, MPTA Nine, PCI Pilot, PCI Prima and TST Si Pues
New York ($2) – Diamond Bingo, Diamond Arenque, SDI I Love NY, Lycatel Success, Lycatel Call Me, STI World, RTG Martini, RTG Cocktail and IDT Play Ball.
Washington, DC ($2) – IDT Boss
Toll Free ($5) – GEO Florida