A couple of months ago, you may remember that we mentioned why Rebtel’s international call service to Ethiopia was a hit with customers. Now startling new evidence has become known that sheds light on why so many customers from African, Sub-Continent and Caribbean nations like Ethiopia are flocking to companies like Rebtel.

Research about calling cards shows unhappy customers

Research published by the Swedish call firm has painted a stark picture for customers who are making their international calls using calling cards, especially to countries in the Caribbean, like Trinidad and Tobago, or Africa, such as Liberia, Ethiopia and Ivory Coast.

A staggering statistic revealed that 90.9% of respondents on a questionnaire for Rebtel customers who had made calls to Liberia via a calling card, had received far fewer minutes on their calling card than they had initially paid for.

Unsurprisingly, less than a third of those questioned felt that calling cards were a fair or reliable method of making international calls. Interesting facts for all Ethiopians living abroad, considering that calling cards still are pretty popular for making international calls.

However, in isolation that statistic may not be particularly impressive or relevant and can be dismissed as an anomaly of statistics, however what is truly shocking is that large numbers of Rebtel customers are all reporting similar levels of calling card misery.

Fewer minutes than advertised from calling cards

To back up these findings, Rebtel conducted similar research into the calling patterns of its customers calling the Ivory Coast and Trinidad and Tobago. 82.2% of respondents who called the Ivory Coast on calling cards felt that they had received far fewer minutes than advertised, while 75.3% of those who called Trinidad and Tobago reported similar findings.

Such a trend is not so easy to explain away statistically. Certainly, there does seem to be a very real issue with calling card honesty and it is the scale of this which is truly disconcerting for anyone seeking to call Liberia, Ivory Coast or a host of other Africa, Sub-Continent or Caribbean countries.

When asked to estimate how much they had been overcharged by calling card companies, Rebtel’s customers estimations were frightening, the average reported loss to a customer who used international calling cards regularly was estimated to be around $125. A huge figure, but there are isolated claims from individuals who feel they have been cheated out of $500 worth of calls.

Large increase of Ethiopians living abroad using Rebtel

Ethiopians living in the US seem to be a large group of customers that appreciate Rebtel’s service. Since Rebtel lowered rates to Ethiopia to USD 0.205 to landline and USD 0.225 in February 2010, Rebtel has reported an increase in traffic of 100% for international calls to Ethiopia

From these figures, it certainly seems like large numbers of international calling card users are becoming increasingly annoyed with the rip-off service that many of these unscrupulous companies provide, and are switching, in their thousands, to companies like Rebtel.

When asking Rebtel’s operational controller Mikael Rosengren if he thinks calling cards are a rip off he says: “All we can do is try to provide the best call rates, call quality, charge the individual for the calls that they actually make in a fair, honest and open way, which is possible thanks to our great customer service. In the end it’s always up to the customer to choose the best alternative.”

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