Please wait while we connect your call; long distance charges may apply

[Michael77]

I know this topic was discussed in a previous thread, however, we still have not gotten an official response as to why this happens:  

When I make outgoing calls in Ontario (my home province) I sometimes get- "Please wait while we connect your call; long distance charges may apply". 

Can anyone officially give the reason why we hear this message?

Thank you.

[Michael77]

Can anyone officially give the reason why we hear this message?

Thank you.

[stonechucker]

Yes, I understand this also.  Your advice as I've also provided at the +1 to remove the problem, and deal with it when it actually doesn't connect/

[WearySky]

@stonechucker yes, nowadays, PM doesn't have anything but province-wide calling.  But they haven't updated their system to reflect that.  So even though it's impossible to have a plan on PM where calling from Toronto to Ottawa is considered a long distance call, the system doesn't seem to know that and it's still playing the message for folks accordingly.

[stonechucker]

@WearySky, unless I'm mistaken, the minimum, usable voice package at Public Mobile, is unlimited province wide, which means no extra charge to a call.  Whether it is local (ie landline years with 7 digit call), or long distance within the province is totally different things.

As I explained above in my post, you can have a local call in the province within the same area code, and outside the same area code (overlays like 519, 226, and there's a new one also).  A local example is Brantford to Simcoe (both in Ontario), but a long distance example is Brantford to Cambridge (any of the three old towns of Galt, Preston, and Hespeler ....  side note - come on telephone people, they merged in 1974 as Cambridge).  Those are all within that area code grouping.

And this is also a problem, for those living in Provincial border areas.  The big one I keep referencing, Ottawa to Hull / Gatineau area, two provinces, one local calling area, and Public Mobile DOES NOT recognize local calling areas in the plan selections - a huge error in my opinion.

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@WearySky wrote:

If you didn't have an unlimited provincial calling plan, the call you're making would be considered a long distance call.  That's all that it's telling you, really.  

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[crazycolby]

Good to know, thx

[pakmode]

I hear ya OP - it's a total PITA, but it is what it is.

[WearySky]

I actually updated all my contacts to have a +1 in front of them, years ago, when I first got a Canada-wide calling plan with Rogers specifically so I'd avoid getting that message (I feel like they fixed their network so that people with Canada-wide or province-wide calling don't get those messages anymore though).  Thanks to cloud-based contact storage, I've never had to update them again 🙂

[will13am]

Maybe it's the way Public Mobile provisions their calling plan.  I had issues early on with so called long distance and toll free calls, but the problem seemed to resolve itself.  I have too many contacts in my address book and I am not about to edit them manually and add a 1 in front of every number.  

[ShawnC13]

@Michael77, what I do so I don't get those messages is any number I store I put a 1 in front of the area code.  No more messages, and the call wouldn't go through if it was long distance and you don't have the long distance addon

[Luddite · Accepted solution]

Ignore all messages unless the call does not connect. It's one of Public Mobile's idiosyncracies.

[WearySky]

If you didn't have an unlimited provincial calling plan, the call you're making would be considered a long distance call.  That's all that it's telling you, really.  

[stonechucker]

I will try to explain this again.

If you're dialing a number in the same province, and the same area code, it can still be a "long distance" call.  

If you're dialinig a local call (land-line terminology), in the same or different area code, it's not a long distance call.

If you're calling a number in the same province and a different area code, it could be either a long distance call (ie Kitchener to Toronto), or a local call (Kitchener to Waterloo).

This stems from change from 7 digit dialing, to 10 digit dialing years ago, possibly before your time making phone calls... it did happen about 20 years ago.

A local call can be completed, with only 10 digits, if it's in either the same, or different area code.  But if it's not a "local" call, the warning message is designed for all users who may or may not have long distance packages.

If you're on a plan with long distance, you don't have to worry.  If you know it's a local call, call +1 then the number, or just let it dial.

This is not an offical statement, it's just my extensive experience calling from 7 digit to 10 digit requirements previously.