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Question: I would like to shop for a new long distance
carrier and I don't know how to get started.
Answer: There are lots of us wondering the same thing.
Long-distance carriers are very aggressive about touting
their wares, but it's hard to know which carrier is the best
one for you.
The most important rule to learn early on is that you won't
get special rates unless you ask for them. This means you
need to know rates offered by competing companies and rates
offered through various plans within one company.
Here are some smart steps for Consumers to take:
- Analyze your phone use. Collect three months of phone
bills and average your total out-of-state long distance call
minutes, your total in-state long distance call minutes, and
get an idea of whether you make most of your calls during
the day or evening and during the week or weekends.
- Understand charges. Many people are not aware that if
they are on a basic plan they may be paying more than people
who have a discounted plan. When you shop, you'll need to
compare several things:
- basic rates versus discounted calling plans,
- cost per minute for daytime versus evening
calls,
- cost for weekend versus weekday calls,
- cost for out-of-state versus in-state long
distance calls,
- monthly fees,
- monthly minimum charges, and
- discounts for choices such as online bills and
paying automatically by credit card.
- Compare prices. Once you know your use patterns, you are
ready to compare carriers and their plans. You can do this
by calling carriers, asking for more information when a
telemarketer calls you or checking Web sites that will make
comparisons for you. Before you make a final decision, make
sure you get complete plans and read the fine print so you
are not paying more than you anticipated.
Here is one online site you can contact:
www.simplexity.com.. Once you answer a few questions, this
resource will provide you with information about the plans
of several service providers. The comparative information
includes monthly minimums, monthly fees, minimum terms, and
interstate and intrastate rates. Simplexity gave me six
plans to compare: two plans from AT&T, one from Cable &
Wireless, one from MCI, and one from Sprint.
Other Web sites you can check include
For more information, contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
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