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Split long distance charges
  (+14, -1)(+14, -1)
(+14, -1) 		  [vote for,
against]

There are direct dial, collect calls now. The telephone companies should make a third choice for long distance charges, 'split the charges' or 'collect-split'. The callee would be told you are receiving a split-collect call from so-and-so, do you accept half the charges. The split charges could be determined by the lowest rate between the two parties calling plans.
—borisbarp, Mar 29 2008

(?) Dutch phone service http://www.copaco.n...informatie/homepage
[Ander, Apr 03 2008]

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       Is this not essentially a flavour idea? Half-charges does have its appeal, but so too might 0.82:0.18 calls and 0.33:0.67 calls (more flavours)..
—vincevincevince, Mar 30 2008
   

       [admin: on top of 1/0 and 0/1, 0.5/0.5 is different enough - people don't think of this as something in a continuum at all. If someone wants to discuss other ratios, they should do it here, though.]   

       Collect calls right now are expensive, right? There's a per-call charge just for using the service, and the per-minute rates are quite high, too. (They don't relate to the called party's calling plan.) So, this would change more than just the specific split-point.
—jutta, Mar 30 2008
   

       Sorry to say I read this title as Spit Long Distance Changes and had to look.
Glad I did. (+) Welcome to the HB [borisbarp]		   

       Welcome [borisbarp] - What a superb idea! [+] -   

       The callee's phone could ring in some special way when one of these calls comes in.   

       I confess, I don't get the ratio stuff... Pressing digits 0->9 indicates the proportion of cost 10%->100% If you dial nothing during the call, they pay? - Is that the idea?   

       I was about to steal the idea add "Make unsolicited telephone callers pay for your time" {Similar system, but your phone bill is reduced by some callee selectable amount... but it might be difficult to police}
—Dub, Mar 30 2008
   

       Depends what you place value on. If you call people to receive information (or they call you to give information) then it wouldn't be entirely fair. Of course if you call people just to hear yourself talk then it's perfectly fair.
—Texticle, Mar 31 2008
   

       If you leave it up to MaBell, they'll determine the split by the _higher_ rate, not the lower one.
—Alterother, Apr 01 2008
   

       //If you monopolise the call as the receiver then you get to pay for most of it.// I have that issue with my cell phone right now- it seems like the long-winded people want to call during the peak hours.
—Jscotty, Apr 01 2008
   

       Two people communicating.   

       There is a variance of rates.   

       There are ways for bi-directional communication from the lowest rate only.   

       Does not sound like a zero-sum game.   

       Commercial enterprises like playing zero-sum games. What you as the consumer lose, they gain.   

       Although great for the consumer, and there are ways to bend the providers towards consumer benefit, I fear this idea is dead before it is born. so [+].
—4whom, Apr 01 2008
   


 

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