European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 3, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Consumer watch More complaints about two credit card phone companies stories by Mafi Neth consumer editor to companies offering credit card phone service from Europe to inc led is stes Are causing consumer Cill eries about heir Billing. In apr members of the military in Germany who used International to recharge a Dallas company advertising ".-tales," reported Bills higher than those charged by the German phone company. Now similar charges of larger than Anli Cipale Bills and unexplained methods of Billing Are being made Aboul another Dallas firm United payphone. Attorney John k. Martensen chief of he Ega assistance division in the Oldie of the v corps Stafl judge advocate in Frankf Jet Bays he has received some 20 consumer complaints about the company s charges. United pay Jhone s credit card service was the sublet of an article in the Jan. 31 Issue of the shoppers biweekly in the article in was stated that direct dealing from German Home phones costs about the same As the us. Operator s Lanly " exact ales were not a puffed out but Consumers assumed this Mccanl charges would to less than those levied by the German Bunde Spost. Calls placed from the United Stales to Germany run considerably less than those placed from Here says Uta John o Frankfurt in explaining Why she made Calls through the company in March and april using Hei diner s club card when she received her credit card Bill in june however she discover there had been anything but a savings she was charged Rales ranging irom $2.56 to $3 20 per minute for Telephone Calls to different areas in the us cd Stales what supned her even More was Hal charges or Calls made to the same Telephone num Boj a Ned once she was charged $2 73 a minute on other time it was 12.b4. Another Call to a number with the game preen added up to $3 07 a minute her Loti Bill came to $28235 Lor a  calling Lime Oun  in. 47 minus cd around 1g-1 More than if she had been billed by the German phone company a its rate for . Calls of 11. 40 Marks or $2.1 a 1,80 Marks to a Dollar for Throe minutes. The German Access number 0130 2928 she dialled to reach untied payphone service was one of the same numbers previously used by customers who had placp1 rails through International Tole charge inc Iti the shoppers biweekly article stated that the rates were applied under a acc system an undated in signed letter now has been received by Soma Consumers explaining that acc refers to the firm credit card calling systems. No in ils letter 1he firm Stales that since december 986, it has been operating a Credi card billed operator assisted. Trans Allan tic Telephone service in the european marketplace. Though the letter goes on to stale that to Date there has been a degree of consumer contusion regarding acc s credit card calling services no prices ate explained it is noted Only that customer inquiries and requests Lor information can be addressed to the company at Post Tach 100, 6000 Frankfurt a 1." attempts to reach inc firm have tailed no Frankfurt Telephone number is listed for such a company people who have received Bills they question should Contact their local Legal assistance office Martensen is forwarding complaints Aboul United payphone in Dallas to the Texas ass Slang attorney general s office m Austin for investigation. Letters should to addressed chief of the division of consumer affairs  Box 12548. Capital station Austin Texas 787 t one customer who complained directly to Inlet Nasonal Tel charge says he was Given some Money Back on the Cost of the Calls made but was informed thai further Compla mls should be addressed to credit card calling systems. Inc he has done so. But not had time 1o receive an answer even in charges for Telephone Calls using the a credit card systems arc quoted car Lens a is i if. No  is inc  go Brj to  it to has by Fri i cd or Iho Corrie Knuth of lirtiii7 Hoa  or it j i but. At to s service wins compliments n contrast to the consumer complaints being a if i ital of Hui companies promoting credit card Calls from Europe to Iho la Nilca Stales at to is winning compliments americans who have made if ans at Antic phone Calls using at to s Usa direct have experienced sub Stone in savings in doling Iron Homo photos in a cranny and he Netherlands the company also offers credit card calling from the tinned kingdom and France. Homo Calls placed Wilha card from those countries however arc More expensive than under local Billing systems in Germany whore at to first tested its credit card Syslo in Iho Munich area the service now has been extended to include Al numbers except those Wilt the 06 prefix of the fran Turl area. Without an at to credit card you can Only use i at to s us a direct service by calling collect the address Tor re questions an application for an at to card is at to information Center . Box 619475. . Airport Texas 75261-9990. Applicants must have a valid visa or Mastor Caid account an itemized listing of Calls and the charges will appear on he non Lihty visa or Mastercard statement. To reach he att stateside operator you dial the following Access numbers United kingdom 0800-89-0011 France 19, wait for dial tone and dial 0011 the Netherlands 06, Wail for dial tone dial 022-911 and Germany 0130 0010, att operator-assisted1 raids according to a company spokesman average about 25 percent less Han rates charged by overseas Telephone companies with a Lew exceptions Slation to Slation credit card Calls from Germany France and the Netherlands Cost $6.62 for the first three minutes and $1.09 Lor each additional minute. If you Don t have an at to credit card you can make collect Calls through the system but at a higher Price. From France the Netherlands and Germany. At to charges 111.83 Lor three minutes and $1.09 for each additional minute. Such a 1 a minute collect Call from Germany would Cost $19 -16. A savings of 98 cents Over Loho German rate of $20.44 based on charges of 33.60 Marks for 10 minutes and an Exchange rate of 1.80 Marks to a Dollar. The at to rate collect Calls also would be less than the $22.73 charged by the Dulch phone system 4 75 guilders per minute at �.09 to tha Dollar. It would however is More than making a Call through the French phone system which charges 10 10 francs per minute at 612 francs to a Dollar 10 minutes for $16.50. Stripes Reader Owaid Campbell of Lakenheath England discovered that collect Calls from Britain using at to s lines Cost considerably More than British telecoms would have charged. He writes thai a 10-Rrunule collect Call to new Hampshire Cost s14.73 and a 13 or single Call was $16 93 overseas rates via British telecoms he says run from $1 ,54 Low rate hours to $2.30 Lor three minutes Campbell Wriles that based on the $2.30 Rale plus lax the 10-Minule Call to new Hampshire would have Cost Only $8.85. At to Lold the stars and stripes thai Lor service from Britain it charges 45.35 for the Lisl three minutes of a credit card Lalion to station Call and $9.48 Tor collect Calls. Because the United kingdom has reduced rate periods not offered in other countries two at to rates Are Given Lor the additional minutes of a Call the extra charge per minute for Calls made from 10 p m o 10 a m sundays and monday through saturday is 75 Genii Dunn other Pound each additional r .icco5ls99cens Page 16 the stars and St Lopes , july 3, 1987