It does save time, however, to make a short call to verify the person you are calling is available, and then ask them if it's ok to call back in a few minutes for a longer call. The two hours are replenished on the same day every month, but that date varies from one subscriber to another. It helps to be sure and know that date when planning your calls. There is a long lead time between application and the start of service. One need not have a computer for this.
Most local libraries provide systems with internet access.
Since this service works by calling an 877 number, I can use it from any phone and save on calling card calls as well. It's very handy from pay phones, or when I want to make a personal long distance call from my office. I'm going to call my phone company and tell them to drop all my current long distance carriers as I'm no longer using them.