Probe into phone card 'cheap' calls

THE telecoms watchdog is investigating some phone cards which claim to offer cheap overseas calls. Customers pay £5 or £10 for a card which should give them a specific amount of call time.

Ofcom is checking complaints that cards fail to offer the time promised, expire earlier than they should, or fail to work at all.

Card companies buy call time from BT and others, selling it on through the pre-paid cards available mostly in corner shops and newsagents.

There is a growing market for the cards, particularly among immigrant families. Calls to India can be 5p a minute, against up to 65p with BT.

Ofcom is investigating services offered by Swedish-owned Alpha Telecom, US firm Primus Telecommunications, and two British companies, Vectone and Cheers International.