AT&T Calling Cards: When one minute doesn't equal a minute

My AT&T long-distance calling card ran out of minutes, so I decided to try to renew it.  I checked the website and saw these terms:

Minute value applies to state-to-state calling only. A surcharge
not to exceed 10 minutes applies to U.S. pay phone calls,
a portion of which compensates pay
phone providers. One minute billing increments; partial minutes used are billed as full minutes.
Rates may be higher for calls to/from mobile phones. For calls that begin and end within the
same state, minutes will be deducted at the following rates per minute of talk time: 1 minute:

DC, IL, IN, MA, RI, USVI; 3 minutes: AL, AR, CA, CT, DE, GA, HI, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MI, MS,
NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PR, SC, TN, UT, WI, WV; 5 minutes: AK, AZ, CO, FL, IA, ID, MN, MT,
NC, NH, OK, PA, TX, VA, VT, WA, WY; and 8 minutes: MO, ND, SD. International rates are higher
than state-to-state rates, vary according to area called, and are subject to change.
Call
Customer Care for international calling information before leaving the U.S. Recharge minutes
may have different rates, surcharges and terms and conditions and are not refundable. Directory
Assistance rates are higher than state-to-state rates. Minutes do not expire. PIN cannot be
used for toll free calls, calls for paid services with premium charges or for operator-handled
calls. Service provider makes no warranties and its liability is limited per service guide.
Any disputes arising from purchase or use of this card are settled by arbitration, which
doesn’t apply to CA residents for disputes arising in CA. Safeguard your PIN. You are
responsible for loss or unauthorized use. PIN may be terminated without notice if fraud is
suspected. PIN is not returnable or exchangeable unless defective. Direct unresolved complaints
to the regulatory agency in the state where Card was purchased. Use of Info to Go will incur
additional minute deductions. Service provided by AT&T Corp. or affiliate; by AT&T Alascom in
AK. Service provided where authorized.

Here’s the relevant information… regardless of the fact that AT&T says it is selling “minutes,” calls within most states will result in more than one “minute” being deducted for every minute of call time.

My definition of “minute” is not flexible enough to accept that I should be charged five minutes for every one minute of calling time in Pennsylvania.

Is this typical of phone service contracts?

2 thoughts on “AT&T Calling Cards: When one minute doesn't equal a minute

  1. My mom was just asking why it said that she had 100 minutes, but only 20 mins of talk time, this explains it. Very stupid.

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