When do you get charged for a call?

Question

Will I get charged just by calling a person [it just ringing and going straight to voicemail] or is it like the payphone where if the person doesn't pick up, you get your change back? This is landline.

Answer 1

Well its a good question, and i'm guessing that you are wondering about long distance charges, (not cell phone minutes). Well to answer that, u will get charged if someone picks up, and get charged to do a voicemail message too.
But the best way to be sure is to dial '0' from your land line and ask them. You can even call France and let it ring and if u hang up before it connects, then u are not charged.

I know this because i play a online game with people all over Europe and the US. And we often call each other late at night and let the phone ring twice and then hang up. This way we dont get charged and we can still get our friends online when needed. Of course we all agreed not to pick up the phone on the first 2 rings ahead of time.

Answer 2

the answer depends on the carrier.
for cell phones, Alltel starts charging as soon as u hit the send key.

for verizon the charge starts after about the third ring.

for other companies (land line) there is no charge unless the phone is answered.

Voice mail constitutes an answer.

Answer 3

I think you get charged for a call if the call connects. But you should not get charged if someone in the same town with the same service calls you- at least not for us.