Free International Phone Calls By Calling Iowa
AllFreeCalls.net is offering free international calls to select countries. All you have to do is call this Iowa phone number: (712) 858-8094, and then enter the usual 011 + Country Code + Phone Number. How do they make money? Via TechCrunch:
Iowa is apparently the only state taking advantage of an FCC kickback scheme that gives telco?s a portion of the fees generated from every inbound call to an Iowa number. So when you call the AllFreeCalls phone number, a portion of any long distance fees you are paying go to the company. The kickback is apparently authorized via the Universal Service Fund. These kickbacks are enough on average to more than cover the international outbound calling fees.
Find more in Frugal Living | 1/12/07, 4:35am | Trackback
January 12th, 2007 at 5:29 am
Woohoo! I’m going to try using this along with Skype.
January 12th, 2007 at 6:07 am
sounds good. thanks.
January 12th, 2007 at 6:45 am
A couple of days ago, my colleagues also mentioned a website to make free international calls, and it is futurephone.com. The gateway number is (712) 945-1111, which is also an Iowa number.
January 12th, 2007 at 7:11 am
http://www.futurephone.com is also a similar service and well documented in NY times and leading publications.
January 12th, 2007 at 7:12 am
[...] AllFreeCalls [TechCrunch via MyMoneyBlog] [...]
January 12th, 2007 at 9:36 am
[...] More about the story here, here and here. [...]
January 12th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Great find, Jonathan! Free international calls (not via the internet) seemed inevitable at some point!
January 12th, 2007 at 10:35 am
This is nothing else than Futurephone, a weird Iowa toll number that costs you at least 6 cents or more per minute. The state of Iowa, or better these bogus companies, take advantage of an FCC kickback supported by the US Universal Service Fund (USF), so the company generating the calls makes money out of the USF. I’m more than sure that this isn’t allowed to continue for long — that’s really not what the USF is for! Don’t get diddled by these services!
January 12th, 2007 at 10:44 am
calling thet no might cost? right?
January 12th, 2007 at 11:39 am
link
Here is a detailed explanation of how this 712 Iowa model works. I personally find this troubling. It’s basically a smart a$$ way to take advantage of a loop hole and pocket the money that was not meant for that purpose. Maybe your current phone plan, whether it’s free national roaming cell phone or a digital phone with no long distance charge, someone still need to pay Iowa Telco the 3-10 cents per minute termination charges. In the end, someone will lose money. If you phone carrier is losing money, they will find a way to get back at you.
January 12th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Does this work with cell phones that have free long distance?
January 12th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
[...] Both Jonathan at MyMoneyBlog and Jim at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity have reported today that you can now make FREE international calls by dialing a gateway number (712) 858-8094 at somewhere in Iowa (details can be found at Allfreecalls.net, the operator of the 712 number). [...]
January 12th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Why analyze so much….just use the freaking free call!!
January 12th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
will it work fjor pay phones?
January 12th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
I just made 2 international calls with it and it works great…thanks jonathan.
January 12th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
This should work fine with cell phones, VoIP, or anyone else that has free domestic long distance.
Tons of things are supported by all taxpayers and used by only a few. Write your senator! In the meantime, why not save money on some international calls?
January 13th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Can not use this to call India
Does anyone know why not? Any other sites for India? Great tip Jonathan…
January 13th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
I can’t find the “Vietnam” flag, do you know when, Jonathan? Thanks.
January 13th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
I tried it today at 11pm EST, but the quality is unbearable. I ould hear the opposite clearly but they said mine was jerky and not understandable. Thanks anyway.
January 14th, 2007 at 7:00 am
Wish I knew about this before my trip to Israel last week
Just tried it out and got, “All circuits are busy, please try again later”, though.
January 26th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Does anyone know how to use this number along with Skype? Once I connected to this Iowa number and couldn’t find the way to input another phone#.
February 7th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Looks like this loophole is closing fast:
http://gigaom.com/2007/02/07/a.....2-million/
February 17th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
it doesnt work any more
February 22nd, 2007 at 4:45 am
This service is not working currently. I hope it get backs on soon
April 26th, 2007 at 4:43 am
I m using these iowa no. with skype..I can make free local calls to iowa(in USA calls are free within USA) and I m able to make calls to north carolina,musouri and nebraska?it works fine with skype and also the video clarity is fine?