Connection fees and service fees are the norm, not the exception in the industry.
Most consumers only see the price per minute and the maximum minutes on the card.
This is not to say that they are not a useful card, for long talks these cards will serve you well. If you make frequent shorter calls, averaging less than 10 minutes, use a no connection fee card. If you make fewer, longer calls averaging over 10 minutes or more, choose a lower price per minute card with a reasonable connection fee. You can expect to pay a usage fee and weekly or bi-monthly maintenace fee on top of the connect fee. If your calling pattern varies, consider using both a no connection fee card and a lower rate card.