ECG

Reviewers say ECG offers the best domestic long-distance phone plan for those living in Baby Bell territory, which covers about 85 percent of the United States. Reviewers give ECG especially high scores in customer service -- rare for any service these days. Users most frequently complain that in-state long-distance rates can be high. ECG's cheapest plan -- 2.5 cents per minute for domestic calls -- requires a 59-cent monthly fee and automatic charges to your credit or debit card. You can get a pay-by-check plan with a monthly paper bill, but it will cost you extra. One advantage is that while some companies charge you by the minute (e.g. a 61-second call will be billed as two minutes), ECG charges in six-second increments with an 18-second minimum. If you make a lot of international calls, reviews say 3U Telecom (*est. 4.8 cents per minute) may be a better option (though it varies by country). For those living in that 15 percent of the United States outside Baby Bell coverage, reviews recommend Total Call International (*est. 3.9 cents per minute).

We found the best reviews at SaveOnPhone.com, because it evaluates pricing and customer service for about 350 long-distance plans. Similar websites either base their ratings strictly by price or don't seem to have done as much hands-on work in determining the quality of customer service. PhoneDog.com isn't the only source for user reviews of long-distance plans, but it has by far the largest sampling, and most of them list pros and cons. Consumer Reports does not rank long-distance plans (or even list them), but it has a report that's good for basic information, and ECG is the only plan mentioned.