In order to dial the local numer to activate a call back service using an ECC cellular you have to pay at least $0.30 per minute...then to call from SXM to US via the call back service you have to pay an additional $0.20. I assume most people do this to call the U.S. and then ask the person who picks up to call them right back since they will only have to pay $0.12 per minute and you pay zero. To call the U.S. directly with an ECC cellular it costs $1.00 per minute but I am not sure if they charge the full $1 if the call is less than 1 minute which it typically would be if you are just asking someone to call you back. Bottom line, I think it comes out to roughly the same price and if you exceed 30 seconds with the call back service I believe you get charged for a couple of minutes in addition.

i think you are a little confused about the call back service. yes.... you do need to make that initial call to the local number which will cost you about 30 cents depending on which cell company you have. you then hang up. the call back service will call you back at which time you enter in the number you want to call in the states. all incoming calls are free to most if not all cells on the island. so in retrospect, you are just paying per minute for the callback service.

if you have internet you should use dialpad. i know it isnt the same using a mic and speakers. however, the do sell a broadband phone adapter for about 70 dollars. then you can hook up your regular home telephone to it. it is great. the clarity is clear and there is no feedback interference. you just pick up the phone at any time that your computer is on and you have a dialtone. you just dial as if you are in the states. i can even dial toll free numbers which you usually cant do outside the states. it costs $20 dollars for 1200 minutes. comes out to about 1.67 cents a minute. i never use my cell to call the home anymore. if you have anymore quetions about this service then goto their website... www.dialpad.com

good luck getting started next semester.

scott

__________________
Dr. Scott
Internal Medicine
PGY-1

AUC Forum Moderator

hi...
which callback service is the best to use from an ECC cell phone? any advice?
thanks!!

ill be honest with you... i am not that sure which one is the best to use. however, the one that most people used no longer covers the caribbean. if you are on the island already...... i know that there are papers all over the school posted about the current situation with the call back services.

im sorry that i am not too familiar with the current services.

__________________
Dr. Scott
Internal Medicine
PGY-1

AUC Forum Moderator

www.cards4students.com

i have an ECC cell phone and have been using the Medvantage card from cards4students to call the USA at least once a day for the past three semesters. it's $0.20/min (no extra, connection, or otherwise hidden fees), and i have never had any problems with them worth mentioning. oh, and you can pay through paypal, which is kinda cool, i guess.

www.cards4students.com is the best service i know of. i have been using them for almost three semesters now. once you go online and setup an account with them, they email you your callback number. all you have to do is call the callback number, you let it ring once, and hangup. the service then calls you and since incoming calls are free, you dont get charged and "local" charges. then its 20 cents a minute to call the U.S. ; in reality, its cheaper to call the states than it is to call someone here on the island.

__________________
AUC, Class of 2007
Internal Medicine (PGY-2)