800-ONE-DIME
The best deal by far in our 10-minute collect calls from New York to Los Angeles. Sprint’s service charges the recipient of the call $4.99 to connect and 10 cents per minute. (Most services bill extra for pay-phone calls.)
Our call: $5.99
800-USE-THE-VZ
If you’re using Verizon’s service to call home and ask your folks for money, you had better choose your words carefully. They’ll end up paying $5.78 for the first minute and 79 cents for each additional minute.
Our call: $12.89
800-CALL-ATT
As if those Carrot Top ads weren’t annoying enough, this plan turns out to be no bargain. At $3.99 to connect and 99 cents per minute, AT&T’s service might make you consider skipping the call altogether.
Our call: $13.89
800-COLLECT
Don’t believe the hype. Using MCI’s plan didn’t save us “a buck or two,” like Mr. T promises in the commercials. At $4.99 to connect and 99 cents per minute, it was the most expensive.
Our call: $14.89
