Calling Card

Overview

Government organization's employees increasingly find themselves away from the office. Making it easier for them to return calls and contact their customers and co-workers allows them to concentrate on business.

With Verizon Calling Card for Switched Voice Services (SVS), you have all the basic features you need from a calling card plus optional features like conference calling and speed dialing. Calling Card provides toll-free access from Canada and the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Cardholders can also make calls internationally using WorldPhone® international access with the Calling Card. This allows them to complete calls to the U.S. from more than 140 countries and places worldwide.

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Benefits

In today's increasingly mobile and fast-paced business environment, you need a calling card that not only provides you with basic service, but also automated features and exceptional customer support. Calling Card gives government organizations the following benefits:

  • Greater Control. Calling Card and other Verizon On-Net Services can be integrated with our invoicing, reporting, and network management tools, giving you greater control over your communication services.
  • Flexibility. You select the features that are active on each card. As your cardholders' needs change, you can change the features that are available to them. If you desire, you can even select the card number and PINs.
  • Accessibility. Government organizations can easily put traveling and overseas employees in touch from almost anywhere in the world by using WorldPhone international access. Callers can access their organization's private dialing plan numbers and make international and domestic connections. And Calling Card provides voice instructions so cardholders always know what to dial.

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Features

Standard Features
With the Calling Card, government organizations receive the following standard features:

  • Domestic Toll Free Access. There is one toll free access number for all calls from the U.S. 1-800-999-9000. Not only is it easy to dial and remember it also has virtually no capacity constraints. Domestic Toll Free Access is available anywhere in the U.S. with one consistent dialing sequence.
  • Voice Instructions. Voice prompts provide guidance on what number should be entered as well as basic dialing instructions. This feature is especially valuable for cardholders who do not use their card on a regular basis. Frequent users can bypass the voice instructions by entering the appropriate number at any time.
  • Operator Services. Once users are on the card platform, they can reach a Verizon operator in two ways. First, they can stay on hold and automatically "time-out" to one of our operators. Second, they can dial "*0" and be immediately connected to an operator. There will be a charge if your cardholders use operators for directory assistance, person-to-person, or station-to-station calls.
  • Pound Key (#) Re-Origination. Users can make multiple calls without re-dialing the access number and card number: they simply press the "#" key for two seconds after a call.
  • Universal Range Privileges. Universal Range Privileges allow government organizations to assign one of the following generic calling range privileges to employees:
    • Domestic U.S. numbers
    • All North American Numbering Plan locations
    • Domestic U.S., and international numbers
  • Customized Calling Range Privileges. Customized Calling Range Privileges offer an even greater level of control. They may be defined for an individual card or a group of cards. Government organizations can establish ranges based on state, NPA, NPA/NXX, and/or country code. This application works well for regional employees who only need access to specific areas of the country.
  • Star Key (*) Misdial. Misdial correction allows cardholders to press the "*" key and re-enter a number. Pressing this key takes the user back to the prompt for either the card or phone number and eliminates the need to hang-up and re-enter the access number.
  • ID & Accounting Codes. These codes give you the most flexibility in identifying calls, re-sorting and creating customized reports, if necessary. ID Codes are validated by our systems before the call is completed, where Accounting Codes are not validated. ID & Accounting Codes may be up to 11 digits and may also be combined (although the combination can not exceed 11 digits.) ID and Accounting codes are very popular with organizations that need to track calls by client or project.
  • WorldPhone. WorldPhone is Verizon's international card access. It allows users who are traveling or working overseas to place calls to the U.S. or among and between other countries. WorldPhone gives your employees country-specific, international toll-free access numbers. To use WorldPhone, simply dial the toll-free access number of the country you're in and an operator who speaks your language will connect your call in seconds. Once they are connected, users follow voice prompts (or wait for an operator) to complete their calls. Access is available from more than 140 countries and places with termination to the U.S. There are also more than 80 countries that allow WorldPhone to complete non-U.S. terminations.

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Optional Features
In addition to the standard features, government organizations may select from an array of optional features that can help traveling employees stay in touch.

  • Speed Dialing. Speed dialing allows users to call up to nine frequently dialed numbers by merely keying in three digits. These numbers can be changed 24 hours a day by dialing "*90." They are active immediately and can be accessed by dialing "*9" and then one to nine. Voice prompts walk users through this process. No additional charges apply for using this service. Calls connected using this service are charged at the FTS2001 Bridge contract rates for Calling Card.
  • Conference Calling. Conference Calling provides access to a Verizon Conferencing operator. Conference calls can be arranged for immediate connection or a later date and time. Our operator contacts all parties and bills the user's card number. Special FTS2001 Bridge contract rates apply.
  • Direct Customer Service. If cardholders need to reach customer service for any reason, this feature gets them there fast. Pressing "*" activates the Direct Customer Service function, routing the cardholder to the appropriate Verizon Customer Service Center.
  • Dialing Instructions. This feature provides dialing instructions for domestic, international, and private dialing plan calls. It is particularly valuable for cardholders who don't use their cards very often.
  • Paging Access. Paging access is appealing because it improves message delivery when the called party isn't available by phone. Paging Access connects the card user to a Verizon paging operator.
  • Private Label & Custom Cards. If your organization decides they want to have a unique look for their cards, a private label card can be created- where the agency or department logo is added to the front of the standard calling card, or a custom card - with artwork that your organization provides. Private label cards can be ready in 2 to 4 weeks and can be ordered in any quantity. Custom cards are can be ready in 8 to 10 weeks and ordered in quantities of 1,000.
  • Provided below is a sample of the FTS2001 Bridge Standard Calling Card

    Calling Card

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Access

Calling Card provides toll-free access from Canada and anywhere in the U.S, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as more than 140 countries and places worldwide through our WorldPhone international access numbers.

Computer Access Inside the U.S.
You can use Calling Card to access your personal computer while you're on the road, as opposed to dialing direct and billing the call to your hotel room. If you use applications that don't use toll-free access numbers or if you're calling internationally where your U.S. toll-free number can't be accessed, you can enter the following information in your software dialing sequence:

  1. Prefix. Usually 9 when dialing from a hotel.
  2. Pause. Most software packages use commas. Each comma represents a two-second pause. This tells the software to wait and gives the call sufficient time to set-up and receive a dial tone.
  3. Access Number. Type the access number that appears on your Calling Card.
  4. Pause. One or two commas.
  5. Card Number. 10 digits plus a 4-digit PIN
  6. Dialed Number. You can enter the entire number, or set it up as a speed dial number to reduce the number of digits.

Computer Access Outside the U.S.
Even if you're outside the U.S. you can use Calling Card to access your personal computer. However, WorldPhone works a little differently. When dialing from outside the U.S., enter the following information in your software dialing sequence:

  1. Prefix. Dial 9 (if applicable).
  2. Pause. Enter a comma.
  3. Access Number. Enter the WorldPhone number for the appropriate country.
  4. Pause. The average international post-dial delay is around 8 seconds. Therefore, 4 commas should be inserted.
  5. Data Call Code. 9#
  6. Card Number. 10 digits plus a 4-digit PIN
  7. Separator. Enter the # key.
  8. Dialed Number. You can enter the entire number, or set it up as a speed dial number to reduce the number of digits.
  9. Ending. Enter the # key.

Dialing Instructions
Many of your employees will only use their calling card a few times a year. That makes it easy to forget what to dial-especially if they're calling internationally. However, cardholders don't have to worry because the dialing instructions are printed on the back of each Calling Card and a WorldPhone access guide is included with each fulfillment kit.

Placing Domestic Calls
To complete calls using the Calling Card from the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, follow these easy steps:

  1. Dial Verizon's toll-free access number and wait for the four-second (90 Hertz) tone.
  2. Enter your card number.
  3. Enter the phone number you wish to call (10-digit long distance number).

Placing International Calls via WorldPhone
It's easy for employees to make calls from other countries when they use WorldPhone. Simply dial the country-specific WorldPhone access number from the country you are calling from and follow voice prompts after hearing a chime. WorldPhone access numbers can be found at the following URL: http://www.verizonbusiness.com/us/voice/callingcards/access.xml. You can make calls to:

  • Any number in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, or U.S. Virgin Islands (after dialing 0), available from over 140 countries.
  • Another international number (after dialing 011)

As with domestic dialing, callers using WorldPhone access from international locations will hear voice prompts specific to the features that are active and "*0 or hold" before connection to a Verizon operator. In some cases, due to limited availability of tone-dialing telephones, cardholders will be connected to a Verizon operator for call completion.

Reaching Operator Assistance
Your government organization is assured of premier customer service. For every issued Calling Card, our operator will come on the line if the caller fails to enter a phone number after approximately eight seconds. This feature lets users complete calls from rotary as well as tone-dialing phones.

Note: Users can also press *0 after dialing their card number from a touch tone-dialing phone for immediate assistance.

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Customer Support

Our FTS2001 Bridge Customer Service Centers, 1-888-FTS-SVC1 (1-888-387-7821), ensure that your government organization receives exceptional customer service. The toll-free number appears on the back of your Calling Card. Furthermore, when users activate the " *2 " Customer Service function, they can automatically connect to our center.

Once your employees reach our center, we can help them with dialing instructions, country-to-country information, responses to invoice inquiries, courtesy calls, and service requests for any calling card problems.

Implementation Plan
Whether you're currently with another carrier and want to keep your existing card numbers or an existing Calling Card customer who manages calling cards for several departments, we give you flexible options that make installation and maintenance easy.

Card Portability Portability allows you to switch your calling card service to Verizon without having to learn new card numbers. You can order Calling Cards with your existing card numbers and PINs-free of charge. Portability applies to all carriers' calling cards as long as they follow one of four formats:

  • 10-digit plus a 4-digit PIN
  • 9-digit card plus a 4-digit PIN
  • 8-digit card plus a 4-digit PIN
  • 7-digit card plus a 4-digit PIN

There are two situations that will cause a card number to be rejected. The first is a violation of fraud rules. These rules have been established to help eliminate card numbers that are easily hacked or stolen. In general, these rules eliminate numbers that have long strings of repeated or sequential digits, like 111111111 or 0123456789. The second reason for a rejection is if the card and PIN combination completely match a card and PIN combination already on our system, but this seldom happens.

Card Selectability
Many organizations find that card selectability provides improved tracking and reporting. Card selectability makes it easier to identify which card belongs to which employee using information common to your other company systems.

Selectability means that your organization can define your own card numbering procedure. You can also select a PIN or Verizon can randomly generate one free of charge.

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