Consumers whap B.T.L. for free calls

10-10-199. It is supposed to give B.T.L. customers reduced rates on international telephone calls. Well this week, a large number of Belizean consumers took advantage of rates that reached all the way to zero. Reports to News 5 indicate that for several days people in the know have been using the service to make free international phone calls. Anyone with a prepaid cellular phone could dial the magic numbers, but no matter how long you talked, no charges would be levied against your account–even if your phone had no minutes to start with. But before you reach for your Nokia, you should know that the joy ride is over. According to Public Relations Manager for Belize Telecommunications Limited, Suzette Tillett, the company was this week testing out the service on their cellular phone system in anticipation of offering it later this year. Thing is, only staff members were supposed to know about it. But somehow word got out and in a community where news spreads fast; it didn’t take long for lots of people to catch the 10-10-199 prepaid cellular fever. While customers were letting their fingers do the travelling all over the world, Tillett says her company will have to pocket the loss on all those long distance calls as there is no way of knowing exactly how many people used the service and for how long. And those losses may be substantial, as several free phone addicts contacted by News 5 said they talked for so long that they had to switch ears every fifteen minutes and drink lime and honey to prevent sore throat. The 10-10-199 service uses Voice Over Internet Protocols and is not currently available to cellular phone subscribers. So for those who got their free minutes of international long distance, perhaps a thank you note to B.T.L may be in order.