Long-distance calls FAQ for Bell Mobility.
1- Terminology
First of all it is very important to differentiate the two distinct part of a long-distance call: the AIRTIME charges and the LONG-DISTANCE charges.
AIRTIME:
The airtime is what you are charged anyway when you place a call, local or not.
ex: You place a 10 minute call during daytime and therefore use-up 10 minutes of your monthly plan.
Your airtime 'freebies' works the same way when it’s a long-distance call than when it’s a local call. In other words, even if you are placing a long-distance call, the AIRTIME itself will still be free if placed in the following conditions (*if* your plan includes them of course):
- Unlimited evenings and/or weekends.
- 20 free calls per month (H5F).
- Calls between prime and mate (shared plans).
- Unlimited Bell to Bell local calling.
- Unlimited incoming calls (only for the one receiving the call of course).
*BUT* you will still be billed long-distance charges if any of the calls fall under the long-distance rules (see below).
LONG-DISTANCE:
The long-distance charges are completely separated from the airtime charges. No matter if you are in a situation where your AIRTIME is free/unlimited the long-distances charges will still applies.
ex: You place a 10 minute LONG-DISTANCE call during daytime and therefore use-up 10 minutes of your monthly plan AND you are being billed 10 minutes of long-distance according to the rate of your plan.
2- The rules
The rules for long-distance differ a bit from how it works on a landline (regular) phone. Once again it’s very important not to confuse the airtime (the usage itself) and the long-distance. The only thing I'm talking about here is the long-distance charges themselves, your regular AIRTIME charges have to be added if applicable.
There are only 2 very easy rules to remember to figure out how long-distance works on a cell phone, they are short and simple AS LONG AS YOU DON'T ASSUME ANYTHING outside of the rules.
Those rules are:
- For PLACING (outgoing) calls:
The only thing that counts is 'where you are'. Your own phone number as no importance WHATSOEVER. So if you are in Montreal, you can call local in Montreal, if you are in Vancouver, you can call local in Vancouver, NO MATTER YOUR OWN PHONE NUMBER. However it also means that you can only call local near where you are. By exemple, if you are in Toronto with a Vancouver phone number, you can call Toronto local, but calling Vancouver will be long distance even if your number is from there. When placing calls look at your cell phone like if it was a public payphone from the city you are currently in. If it would be a long-distance to call where you want to call with a payphone, its will also be the case with the cell phone.
Therefore: If you had to dial '1' (or if the system told you before connecting you that this was a long-distance) you WILL be charged long-distance, NO MATTER who/where/when you are calling.
- For RECEIVING (incoming) calls:
If you are outside your local calling area (see section 3: FAQ), ANY AND ALL incoming calls will be charged long-distance FOR YOU.
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