September 27, 2009, 02:30:00PM. By Gordon Gibb

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Los Angeles, CA: There's nothing like the telecom industry to get one's blood boiling when it comes to undisclosed rates and fees. Especially when said rates and fees are not disclosed. Late last month a nationwide class action lawsuit was settled by Total Call International Inc. with various plaintiffs in regards to prepaid calling cards. The settlement adds up to $1.9 million, with plaintiffs getting refunds.

Reuters reported on August 26th that Coppolino v. Total Call International will remain pending before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey until the settlement agreement is given final approval by the Court. The settlement affects customers who purchased a Total Call International calling card in the United States at any time between January 1, 1999 and July 28, 2009.

In the lawsuit, plaintiffs alleged in part that Total Call International distributed or sold prepaid calling cards to consumers without fully disclosing applicable rates and fees associated with the products.

Provided the settlement is approved by the Court, those consumers can look forward to a rebate of those undisclosed fees. For those who qualify, the settlement will provide refund PINs to people who either submit a PIN number from an eligible Total Call International calling card or submit a notarized, written statement declaring that they were the purchaser of an eligible Total Call International calling card.

Eligible consumers are entitled to a refund PIN with a value of $0.50 for domestic calls at $0.10 per minute and international calls to certain countries at $0.25 per minute.

There Have Been Others

The settlement arrives in the echo of previous settlements that have been mined from a telecommunications industry in the habit of not disclosing fees to consumers. Notably, according to Reuters, IDT settled such a class action lawsuit in January of 2007 by establishing a $20 million settlement fund; and Locus Telecommunications settled such a class action lawsuit in December of 2008 by establishing a $3.6 million settlement fund.

The Total Call International Fund, if approved, is worth up to $1.9 million in refunds to eligible consumers.

According to terms of the settlement, reached and agreed to by the parties involved in an effort to avoid further costs and uncertainties related to litigation, Total Call International admits to no wrongdoing or liability.

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