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Widespread Fraud By Calling Cards Exposed In First-Ever Report On U.S. Calling Habits To Trinidad And Tobago

San Francisco – September 7 – People in the U.S. who use international calling cards to stay in touch with family and friends in Trinidad and Tobago said they almost never get all of the calling minutes purchased, and that calling card fraud has cheated some of them by as much as $1,000.

The first-ever report on calling habits to Trinidad and Tobago from the U.S. revealed that 75.3% believe they received fewer minutes than promised by calling cards.  The average loss due to fraudulent cards was $90, the study found, but many respondents said the total sum lost was far greater.

Conducted during August 2010 by Rebtel, the first-ever research uncovered fascinating facts and findings on U.S. calling habits to Trinidad and Tobago.

Nearly two-thirds – 61.2% – of Rebtel calls to Trinidad and Tobago that originate in the U.S. go to family members; 36.5% go to friends; only 2.4% go to business associates. Calling rates are hands-down the most important aspect of international calling among survey respondents, with call quality second.

Among survey participants, 73.2% said Rebtel rates are better than alternatives for calling Trinidad and Tobago.  Almost 71% said Rebtel offers superior call quality.

For calling Trinidad and Tobago, 96.5% of survey respondents said they would recommend Rebtel to friends.

Release of the study coincides with dramatic rate reductions by Rebtel on calls to Trinidad and Tobago: a 72% cut on calls to landlines and up to 22% on calls to mobile phones.

Founded in 2006, Stockholm-based Rebtel was established to give people around the world an alternative to rip-off phone cards’ rates for making international calls.

By: Alex Drewniak, September 9th, 2010 Tags: , , , , , ,

Liberians And Ivoirians In U.S. Cheated By Calling Cards, Rebtel Study Reveals

San Francisco – September 10 – Liberians and Ivoirians in the U.S. who use international calling cards to stay in touch with family at home, said they almost never get all of the calling minutes purchased, and that calling card fraud has cheated some of them by as much as $2,000.

The first-ever report on calling habits to Liberia and the Ivory Coast from the U.S. found that 90.9% of Liberians, and 82.2% of Ivoirians believe they receive fewer minutes than promised by calling card providers.  The average loss due to fraudulent cards was $125, the study found, but many respondents said the total sum lost was far greater.

Conducted last month by Rebtel, the first-ever research uncovered fascinating findings on U.S. calling habits to Liberia and the Ivory Coast.

Nearly 80% of Rebtel calls to the Ivory Coast from the U.S. go to family members. Calling rates are most important to Ivoirians when it comes to international calls.  But call quality is No.1 for Liberians.

Of the Ivoirians participating in the survey, 62% said Rebtel rates are better than alternatives for calling home.  Approximately 89% of the Liberians who took the survey said Rebtel offers superior call quality.

Release of the study coincides with dramatic rate reductions by Rebtel on calls to the Ivory Coast and Liberia: a 20% cut on calls to landlines and up to 40% on calls to mobile phones.

Founded in 2006, Rebtel was established to give people around the world an alternative to rip-off rates for making international calls.

By: Alex Drewniak, September 9th, 2010 Tags: , , , , , ,

Free Calls To And From Dominican Republic

Stockholm – July 19, 2010 – Dominicans are again able to call any phone, anywhere in the world for just pennies per minute, and make free calls to loved ones in 50 countries – including the U.S. – now that Rebtel service has been restored.

The international calling service provided by Rebtel, the world’s largest independent mobile VoIP company, can be used with any phone, just the way it is, and without any modification to the customer’s current phone plan.

There is no charge to set up a Rebtel account. Everyone gets a free five minute call to test the service. Thereafter, subscribers only pay for the minutes they use, and on average realize savings of up to 95 percent compared to traditional long-distance rates.

Rebtel’s low-cost calls from the Dominican Republic to any phone in the United States, where Dominicans now represent the fifth largest Hispanic group, cost just $0.015 USD per minute

Smart Calls between the Dominican Republic and the 50 other countries served by Rebtel are always free, and only one of the two people on a call must be a Rebtel subscriber.

“With more than 1 million Dominicans living and working in the U.S., Rebtel is the cheapest, easiest way to keep in touch with your loved ones and now you can even make that international call for free,” said Andreas Bernström, Rebtel CEO.

Rebel with a cause
Founded in 2006, Stockholm-based Rebtel took its name from its rebel stance in the telecom industry. Its vision was to replace fraudulent calling cards, cumbersome computer calling, and operators’ expensive international calling plans with the world’s first genuinely good, honest, trustworthy, and easy-to-use global international calling service.

The company’s mission was equally simple and straightforward: Make reliable, high-quality international calling extremely cheap or free worldwide.

Unlike Skype, which requires international calls to be made over Wi-Fi, a fixed Internet connection, or a $99 per month Verizon plan, Rebtel works with any phone – landline, feature phone, or smart phone – for just the low price of the call.

“Four million Rebtel customers pay only for the minutes they use – or make free calls – and you can too,” said Bernström. “It’s time to join the Rebtel revolution like millions have done worldwide, and just say, no, to fraudulent calling cards, fiddly computer calling, and carriers’ expensive international calling plans.”

By: zuzia, July 19th, 2010 Tags: , , , ,

Free Calling To Canada During Canada Day On The 1st of July

Stockholm – June 28, 2010 – Celebrate Canada Day, call home all day on the 1st of July free of charge.

Rebtel, the world’s largest independent mobile VoIP company, is offering unlimited free calling to Canada from 48 countries in celebration of Canada Day from Newfoundland Daylight Saving time (UTC – 2.5) to Pacific Daylight Saving Time (UTC – 7).

“Rebtel was founded to be the best way to stay connected to your loved ones without paying too much and since Canada day is a big celebration for our users we want to help them re-connect by making the calling free on that day. We also want to show people calling Canada that you can just call as normal with local numbers from Rebtel and save up to 95%.” said Andreas Bernström, Rebtel’s CEO. “We have over four million users who stay in touch with their loved ones using our services from over 190 countries.”

Rebel with a cause

Founded in 2006, Stockholm-based Rebtel took its name from its rebel stance in the telecom industry. Its vision was to replace fraudulent calling cards, cumbersome computer calling, and operators’ expensive international calling plans with the world’s first genuinely good, honest, trustworthy, and easy-to-use global international calling service.

The company’s mission was equally simple and straightforward: Make reliable, high-quality international calling extremely cheap or free worldwide.

Unlike Skype, which requires international calls to be made over Wi-Fi, a fixed Internet connection, or a $99 per month Verizon plan, Rebtel works with any phone landline, feature phone, or smart phone.

Today, millions of people around the world use Rebtel every day to call family at home.

By: Alex Drewniak, June 28th, 2010 Tags: , , , ,

Free Calling To The U.S. During Independence Day On The 4th of July

Stockholm – June 28, 2010 – Celebrate Independence Day, call home all day, free of charge on the 4th of July.

Rebtel, the world’s largest independent mobile VoIP company, is offering unlimited free calling to the U.S. from 48 countries in celebration of the American Independence Day. Free calling is offered from Eastern Standard Time (UTC – 5) to PST = Pacific Standard Time (UTC – 8) (State of Alaska and Hawaii excluded).

“We know it’s important to stay in touch with your friends or loved ones without paying too much and that is why Rebtel was founded. Since Independence Day is a big celebration for our users we want to help them re-connect by making the calling free on that day. We also want to show people calling the United States that you can just call as normal with local numbers from Rebtel and save up to 95%.” said Andreas Bernström, Rebtel’s CEO. “We are growing rapidly and have over four million users who stay in touch with their friends or loved ones using our services from over 190 countries.”

Rebel with a cause

Founded in 2006, Stockholm-based Rebtel took its name from its rebel stance in the telecom industry. Its vision was to replace fraudulent calling cards, cumbersome computer calling, and operators’ expensive international calling plans with the world’s first genuinely good, honest, trustworthy, and easy-to-use global international calling service.

The company’s mission was equally simple and straightforward: Make reliable, high-quality international calling extremely cheap or free worldwide. Unlike Skype, which requires international calls to be made over Wi-Fi, a fixed Internet connection, or a $99 per month Verizon plan, Rebtel works with any phone landline, feature phone, or smart phone.

Today, millions of people around the world use Rebtel every day to call family at home.

By: Alex Drewniak, June 28th, 2010 Tags: , , , ,

Nepalese In U.S. Cheated By Calling Cards

San Francisco – May 13, 2010 - Nepalese in the U.S. who use international calling cards to stay in touch with family at home said they often get only half the of the calling minutes purchased, and that calling card fraud has cheated some of them by as much as $1,000.

The first-ever report on U.S. calling habits to Nepal from the U.S. revealed that 68.6% of Nepalese in the U.S. believe they received fewer minutes than promised by calling card providers. The average loss due to fraudulent cards was $41, the study found, but many respondents said the total sum lost was far greater.

Conducted in the first four months of 2010 by Rebtel, the first-ever research uncovered fascinating facts and findings on U.S. calling habits to Nepal, birthplace of Buddha and home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest.

  • Saturdays and Sundays are the days that most Nepalese abroad call home.
  • The largest numbers of Rebtel calls from the U.S. to Nepal originate in Texas, Minnesota and California.
  • The vast majority of calls go to mobile phones vs. landlines.
  • Average duration of calls to Nepal from the U.S. is a brief 5.38 minutes.

Nearly all Rebtel calls to Nepal that originate in the U.S. – 91.6% – go to family members, 7.6% are to friends, and only a scant .8% go to business associates, according to the survey respondents. Call quality and ease of use are more important than lower rates when choosing international phone service, survey respondents said.

Top U.S. Cities Calling Nepal – January through April 2010:

1. Wichita, Kansas

2. New York City

3. Huntsville, Alabama

4. Minneapolis, Minnesota

5. Dallas, Texas

6. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

7. Peoria, Illinois

8. Omaha, Nebraska

9. Saint Cloud, Minnesota

10. Boston, Massachusetts

Of the Nepalese participating in the survey, 82% said Rebtel call quality was noticeably better than other phone services for calling family in Nepal, and 80.8% said Rebtel was easier to use.

“The most reliable and clear connections plus ease of use are what bring customers to Rebtel, but the reason people use our services day in and day out is our consistently competitive rates for staying connected with their loved ones back home,” said Andreas Bernström, Rebtel CEO. “That’s what Rebtel is really all about – and why 94.2 percent of our Nepalese customers recommend Rebtel to their friends.”

Release of the study coincides with dramatic rate reductions by Rebtel on calls to Nepal: a 24% cut on calls to landlines and 30% on calls to mobile phones.Founded in 2006, Stockholm-based Rebtel was established to give people around the world an alternative to mobile operators’ rip-off rates for making international calls. Today, thousands of Nepalese in the U.S. use Rebtel every day to call family at home.Rebtel has been ranked No.1 in international calling by Technology Appraisals and has been featured in USA Today, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and The International Herald Tribune for its unique calling service

By: Alex Drewniak, May 13th, 2010 Tags: , , ,

U.S.-Based Africans Divided On Favorite Phones But United On International Calling Service Preferences

San Francisco – April 21, 2010 – iPhone is the favorite among Egyptians in the U.S, while Ugandans here favor the BlackBerry.  Samsung and Nokia phones tie for first preference among Sierra Leoneans living in America, and the Zambians dig Nokias.

Those findings and more come from a just-released study of international calling habits and preferences among Africans living in the U.S., provided by the Internet phone company, Rebtel.

  • Saturdays and Sundays are the days that most Africans abroad call home, although Zambians prefer Saturdays, while Sunday is more popular among Egyptians, Ugandans and Sierra Leoneans.
  • The largest number of calls from the U.S. to Egypt, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia originate in primarily Eastern and Mid-western states.
  • The vast majority of calls go to mobile phones vs. landlines.

Among the survey respondents, 73.2% of calls are to family, 16.1% are to friends, and only 9.6% call business associates at home.

Top Three U.S. States Calling:

  • Egypt: New York, New Jersey, California
  • Uganda: Minnesota, Massachusetts, Texas
  • Zambia: Ohio, Illinois, Maryland

Of the Africans participating in the survey, 65.4 % said Rebtel call quality was noticeably better than other phone services for calling family abroad; 79.7% said Rebtel was easier to use.  And well over half – 61.8% – said Rebtel rates consistently beat the competition.

Starting this month Rebtel, which works with any carrier or phone, cut its calling rates to a handful of African nations.

“There is absolutely no need to pay traditional carriers’ crazy rates when you want to talk to your family back home on the weekends,” said Andreas Bernström, Rebtel CEO.  “Nor do you have to risk getting ripped off by calling cards. Just say, ‘No’ to the old way of calling, and give Rebtel a try.”

Founded in 2006, Stockholm-based Rebtel was established to give people around the world an alternative to mobile operators’ rip-off rates for making international calls. Today, thousands of Africans living in the U.S. use Rebtel every day to call family at home.

Rebtel has been ranked No.1 in international calling by Technology Appraisals and has been featured in USA Today, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and The International Herald Tribune for its unique calling service.

By: Alex Drewniak, April 21st, 2010 Tags: , , , , , ,

Cameroonians In U.S. Keep International Calls Home Short And Sweet

San Francisco – April 15, 2010 – A new study issued this month shows several remarkable changes in the ways people in the U.S. are communicating with family and friends in the central western African Republic of Cameroon.

The research, provided by the Internet phone company, Rebtel, shows several fascinating facts and findings based on its calling volume in the first three months of 2010.

  • Saturdays, Sundays and Tuesdays are the days that most Cameroonians abroad call home.
  • The largest number of calls to Cameroon from the U.S. originate in Maryland, Texas, Georgia and California.
  • The vast majority of calls go to mobile phones vs. landlines.
  • Average call duration to Cameroon from the U.S. is just 5.6 minutes.
  • Among the more than 1,000 survey respondents, 85.9% of calls are to family, 12.3% are to friends, and only 1.8% call business associates in Cameroon, where MTM Mobile and Orange Mobile are the hands-down leading mobile phone providers.

Top U.S. Cities Calling Cameroon:

  1. West Maryland (Silver Spring, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Camp Springs, Prince George’s County)
  2. Houston, Tx.
  3. Atlanta, Ga. and suburbs
  4. Oklahoma City
  5. East Maryland (Baltimore, Annapolis, Chesapeake Bay area, Ocean City)
  6. Dallas, Tx.
  7. Washington, D.C.
  8. St. Paul, Minn.
  9. West Los Angeles (Beverly Hills, West Hollywood)
  10. Fort Worth, Tx.

“Reliable and clear connections, combined with service ease of use and low rates are driving a significant increase in international calling to Cameroon from the U.S. on Rebtel,” said Andreas Bernström, Rebtel CEO.

Of the Cameroonians participating in the survey, 78.8% said Rebtel call quality was noticeably better than other phone services for calling family in Cameroon; 86% said Rebtel was easier to use.  And just over half – 50.2% – said Rebtel rates consistently beat the competition.

Starting this month Rebtel, which works with any carrier or phone, cut its calling rates to 15.5 cents per minute to landlines in Cameroon and 20 cents per minute to mobile phones, representing a 3% and 15% reduction respectively.

By comparison, Skype charges 32.8 cents per minute to landlines in Cameroon and 31.4 to mobile phones.  AT&T charges 49 cents per minute to landlines in Cameroon and 61 to mobile phones for customers who pay $3.99 a month for an international calling plan.  And calling cards, which promise outlandishly low rates per minute, are tough to figure out actual cost because the small print reveals hidden charges such as 3 minute rounding, per minute surcharges, connection fees, and weekly fees.

Founded in 2006, Stockholm-based Rebtel was established to give people around the world an alternative to mobile operators’ rip-off rates for making international calls. Today, thousands of Cameroonians living in the U.S. use Rebtel every day to call family at home.

Rebtel has been ranked No.1 in international calling by Technology Appraisals and has been featured in USA Today, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and The International Herald Tribune for its unique calling service.

By: Alex Drewniak, April 15th, 2010 Tags: , , , ,

Free International Mobile Calling Standard Reset By Rebtel

DEMO Spring 2010, Palm Desert, CA – March 23, 2010 – Rebtel, the Internet phone company used by more than 4 million people around the world, today demonstrated a new application for Android phones that automatically makes international calls between 51 countries free of charge – no Wi-Fi required.

Called Rebtel Free Call, the app will be in the Android Market by next week. The iPhone and BlackBerry versions are now being prepared for submission to Apple and RIM.

“International calls from telephones used to grow a steady 15% every year until recently when it dropped to 8%, mainly due to the new behavior of calling from computers. But most people would rather use their phone, not their computer, to make an international call,” said Andreas Bernström, CEO of Stockholm-based Rebtel. “As we take our Android app’s automatic free international calling to iPhone, Blackberry, and eventually regular feature phones, we think we can tear a significant chunk out of the annual 406 billion minutes called internationally, because Rebtel Free Call means you’ll never have to pay for an international minute again.”

Rebtel Free Call is free to download and free to use. Once installed:

  1. Select an international phone number from the onboard address book or type in the number.
  2. Press the Call button.
  3. Rebtel uses the standard cellular network to connect the call over the Internet.

There is no charge for the call if the initiator and receiver have Rebtel Free Call installed on their phones. Rebtel’s standard ultra-low rates will apply if the person abroad receiving the call doesn’t have Rebtel Free Call installed on their phone. However, a manual method for making the call free of charge is available at http://www.rebtel.com/en/Learn/Make-Free-Calls/.

By: admin, March 23rd, 2010 Tags: , , , ,

Overseas Filipinos Cheated by Calling Cards Switch to Internet Calling

STOCKHOLM – March 18, 2010 – The average overseas Filipino has been cheated out of hundreds of dollars by calling cards that don’t deliver the minutes promised, according to new research by Rebtel, the Internet phone company used by more than 4 million people every day for their international calls.

Overseas Filipinos said they were cheated out of $500 on average by fraudulent calling cards, and many said they had been ripped off for up to $3,500 or more, according to Rebtel’s survey of more than 1,000 customers who regularly use Rebtel to call the Philippines.

As of December 2008 there were more than 7.5 million Filipinos working abroad, the most recent figures available from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. Wikipedia puts the numbers between 8.7 million to 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide, equivalent to about 11 percent of the total population of the Philippines.

Sick and tired of calling card fraud, overseas Filipinos said they switched to Internet-based calling services like Rebtel, that starting today lets them call home for just 0.109 USD/min to landlines, 0.129 USD/min to mobiles.

Of the Rebtel customers who previously used calling cards to stay in touch with calling family and friends at home, 61 percent said calling cards were not trustworthy and 72 percent said they regularly received fewer minutes than promised.

In contrast, 76 percent of survey respondents said Rebtel consistently offered lower rates than calling cards or other international calling services. And, because there are no special PIN numbers to remember or long international phone numbers to enter when using Rebtel, 83 percent of respondents said Rebtel was easier to use. Finally, 71 percent said call quality is better or much better with Rebtel than any of the cards or services the survey participants had used previously.

“No one makes calling the Philippines from 50 countries around the world easier, cheaper, or with better sound quality than Rebtel,” said Andreas Bernstrom, CEO of Stockholm-based Rebtel. “Call your family and friends at home and use any phone you like – mobile or landline. These are the world’s lowest calling rates to the Philippines, bar none.”

By: admin, March 18th, 2010 Tags: , , , , , , ,

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