• Long Distance Offers
• Cell Phone and Wireless Plans - Domestic
• Cell Phone Rental and Roaming for International Travel
• Calling Cards - Charge and Prepaid
• Teleconferencing

Long Distance Offers

The major U.S. long distance telephone companies no longer offer miles for signing up for their services. It was great while it lasted.

There are a very low cost dial around services for your long distance needs. I used for years PowerNet Global for this purpose. I now use them for my regular long distance and local toll service at very low prices. I have been paying them less than 3.9 cents a minute for long distance within the U.S., in-state, and local toll calls. This includes all taxes and fees. To sign up with PowerNet Global, call toll free (866) 329-7280, and please tell them I referred you. Call (866) 329-7280 and mention Customer Referral Number TMC7500098. This shouldn't cost you anything, and will give me a tiny credit. Thanks. If you are using another long distance carrier for the miles, make it clear that you want a dial around service, and that you do not want to change long distance carriers.

It is also possible to do the same thing with phone cards. These are often cheaper than a dial around service, but they require that you pay a minimum amount before you make a call, can run out of money in the middle of your phone call, and sometimes have a monthly minimum usage fee, surcharges, expiration dates and periodic maintenance fees. I leave it to you to read the small print. Cards that I or others recommend:

• OneSuite under 3 cents a minute)
• Sam's club AT&T card (under 3 cents a minute)
• Costco MCI card (3.5 cents a minute)
• DialAroundTheWorld.com card for international calls.
• PhoneShark.com for international cards.
• Hostelling International USA for international cards, including a nifty, very cheap callback feature. On April 29, 2007, they were offering a $10 credit.
• IvyMedia's website for special phone cards for calls from the U.S. to China, Taiwan, and the world listed under Shopping (in the left menu)

I am looking for a site that lists most or all of the cheap cards. The ones on AB Tolls seem expensive. Please write to me if you know of such a site. Thanks.

Here is a very complete San Francisco Chronicle article on how to make inexpensive calls internationally.

For comparison of expenses for phone service that does not offer miles, you can find excellent telephone deals with no miles offered at AB Tolls. One I used for interim service (while waiting for a good mileage producing offer) was Enhanced Communications Group, found on that site. I had good telephone connections and no problems with this company. I am currently using PowerNet Global:

• The regular number for signing up with PowerNet Global is (877) 860-2561
• Through a mixup in the quote that they gave me, I ended up speaking with one of their brokers, who gave me an even better deal than that offered by the company: 2.9 cents/minute interstate, 3.9 cents/ minute intrastate, with fractional minutes (6 seconds). (No, that's not backwards. I live in California.) No surprise fees or charges or minimums. Minimal taxes. My January 2006 bill showed 39.6 intrastate minutes for $1.58. $1.58 is exactly what I paid. Call 888-541-0608.
• I can get further reductions on my minuscule bill if you tell the company that I referred you. Then you can refer, too. To tell them that I referred you, call (866) 329-7280 and give them customer referral number TMC7500098. (Thanks.) Of course, do not accept a rate lower than that offered by the broker mentioned above. Please tell me how this worked out.
• On August 21, 2006, a reader wrote:

  I called PowerNet Global, to sign up for long distance. And I used your referral #, so enjoy the extra 1 cent off of each call! But! They told me as of Aug. 1 they have added a $.99/month fee. Bummer. But still beats the $5/month I have with MCI for long distance I almost never use.

  They initially quoted me 1 cent higher than what you have posted, but after I gave them your account # for referral and told them what you were getting 3.9/2.9, they matched it. (I'm in IL).

Telephone companies often will offer miles or dollar discounts for allowing them to bill your credit card directly, and/or to send you email. But they are always happy to encourage you to sign up for these services for free "as a convenience to you". So don't sign up for these services until you first ask if you can get something for doing so. I mention these offers as I know about them, and would appreciate it if you would tell me about any you know about. Thanks.

Cell Phone and Wireless Offers - Domestic

Caution: You may be able to find lower rates for the same phone services offered below, so low in fact that the miles are not worth the extra money.

Here is an excellent article from the San Francisco Chronicle on buying a cell phone. Worth a read before you accept any of the offers below.

HowardForums is an amazing forum for people as obsessed with Cell Phones as I am with miles.

Tower location and coverage reported by users (by zip code) can be found at the very useful website www.cellreception.com

Nextel/Sprint offers up to 5,000 United Airlines miles via the Mileage Plus Wireless Store.

Nextel/Sprint offers up to 5,000 Continental Airlines miles plus 10 miles/$1 spent on accessories via the OnePass Wireless Store.

Nextel/Sprint offers up to 5,000 Alaska Airlines miles for new wireless service or contract extension via the Mileage Plan Wireless Store.

Nextel/Sprint offers 5,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles for new or extended contracts plus 10 miles/$1 spent on accessories via the Hawaiian Airlines Wireless website.

Nextel/Sprint offers 3,500 U.S. Airways miles plus 5 miles/$1 spent on accessories via the Dividend Miles Wireless website.

Nextel/Sprint offers 3 AirTran A+ Rewards Credits for activating a new phone or extending your contract via the A+ Rewards Wireless Store website.

Nextel/Sprint offers up to 5,000 ChoicePrivileges points via the ChoicePrivileges Wireless Store.

Caution. Consider this note from a reader:

"I called one of the Nextel numbers in your list, rather than the Northwest number. I wanted the cheapest phone and the cheapest plan. The plan that Nextel offered to me was $4 a month cheaper than the cheapest Nextel plan via the Northwest site. If I had taken the extra 1000 miles it would have cost me an additional $48 a year."

AT&T offers up to 5,000 Alaska Airlines miles for new wireless service or contract extension via the Mileage Plan Wireless Store.

AT&T offers 5,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles for new or extended contracts plus 10 miles/$1 spent on accessories via the Hawaiian Airlines Wireless website.

AT&T offers 3,500 U.S. Airways miles plus 5 miles/$1 spent on accessories via the Dividend Miles Wireless website.

AT&T offers 3 AirTran A+ Rewards Credits for activating a new phone or extending your contract via the A+ Rewards Wireless Store website.

AT&T offers up to 5,000 ChoicePrivileges points via the ChoicePrivileges Wireless Store.

• American Airlines Offer:
  • 14,000 AAdvantage miles with activation of a new FamilyTime® Plan and a one-year service agreement.
  • 7,000 AAdvantage miles with activation of a new individual plan and a one-year service agreement.

  Read the terms and conditions. Note that the signup pages for this offer does not mention the miles bonus. I suggest you call (877) 896-8805 instead.

  Up to 5,000 Continental Airlines miles plus 10 miles/$1 spent on accessories via the OnePass Wireless Store.

• Up to 5,000 United Airlines miles via the Mileage Plus Wireless Store.

• Delta Airlines T-Mobile Hot Spot offer: Subscribe to an Unlimited National Annual or Month to Month subscription plan and earn up to 5,000 Delta Airlines miles over your first year of service by earning 250 miles per month of paid service and 1,000 bonus miles for every six months of paid service.

• 5,000 Alaska Airlines miles for new wireless service via the Mileage Plan Wireless Store.

• 5,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles for new contracts plus 10 miles/$1 spent on accessories via the Hawaiian Airlines Wireless website.

• 3,500 U.S. Airways miles plus 5 miles/$1 spent on accessories via the Dividend Miles Wireless website.

• 3 AirTran A+ Rewards Credits for activating a new phone via the A+ Rewards Wireless Store website.

• Priority Club offer:
  • 20,000 points with activation of any new T-Mobile FamilyTime plan.
  • 10,000 points with activation of any new single line of service.
• T-Mobile offers up to 5,000 ChoicePrivileges points via the ChoicePrivileges Wireless Store.

  You may read about Priority Club in the Points to Miles section of my Other Programs I Like page.

• KLM offers 7 Flying Blue Miles per minute when you are traveling abroad and making mobile phone calls on the T-Mobile network in the UK, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands and the Mobistar network in Belgium.

Verizon offers up to 5,000 United Airlines miles via the Mileage Plus Wireless Store.

Verizon offers 3,500 U.S. Aiways miles plus 5 miles/$1 spent on accessories via the Dividend Miles Wireless website.

• Special offer: 5,000 U.S. Airways miles plus free DROID Incredible 2 phone. Please tell me when this offer changes or disappears. Thanks.

Verizon offers up to 5,000 Continental Airlines miles plus 10 miles/$1 spent on accessories via the OnePass Wireless Store.

Verizon offers 5,000 Alaska Airlines miles for new wireless service or contract extension via the Mileage Plan Wireless Store.

Verizon offers 5,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles for new wireless service or contract extension via Hawaiian Airlines Wireless.

Verizon offers 3 AirTran A+ Rewards Credits for activating a new phone via the A+ Rewards Wireless Store website.

Verizon offers up to 5,000 ChoicePrivileges points via the ChoicePrivileges Wireless Store.

Verizon offers 20,000 Greenpoints for using its services. You may read about the S&H Greenpoints program in the Points to Miles section of my Other Programs I Like page.

Alltel Wireless offers up to 5,000 United Airlines miles via the Mileage Plus Wireless Store.

Alltel offers up to 5,000 ChoicePrivileges points for contract renewal via the ChoicePrivileges Wireless Store.

U.S. Cellular offers up to 5,000 United Airlines miles via the Mileage Plus Wireless Store.

I know little about cell phones, since I don't own one. But I suspect that Blackberry has become so ubiquitous that it may be available with a miles bonus from some or all of the airlines wireless stores mentioned above.

Cell Phone Rental and Roaming for International Travel

• View from the Wing. (February 3, 2008.)
• Frommer's. (November 11, 2003.)

You may read about the credit card on the Annual Fee Cards page in my Credit Card section.

"You can earn up to 10 awards per minute when you are travelling abroad and making mobile phone calls on the networks of the participating mobile operators. In India and Hong Kong you can also earn awards for incoming calls!

All you need to do is register once below and then manually switch your phone to one of the participating mobile operators while travelling abroad. Any of the world-wide members can benefit from the scheme. It is not required that members have a mobile subscription of one of the participating networks of Travelling Connect."

• Air France and KLM offer 7 Flying Blue Miles/minute. Register, then switch your phone.
• Hilton offers 10 Hilton HHonors bonus points per minute. Register, then switch your phone.

Calling Cards, Charge and Prepaid

Global One and Grupo Taca have an arrangement by which you can earn miles for the latter using the former's calling card. The only information I have on this is what I found on Grupo Taca's web site. I have found no link or information on how to sign up for the offer.

Global One offers miles on many other non-U.S. airlines for buying their prepaid telephone cards.

Teleconferencing