Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: I have MCI as my long-distance carrier. Until a few years back, I did not have to pay the long-distance carrier if I didn't make any long-distance calls. But now, I am paying $5.97 a month, which includes the $5 minimum usage fee, even when I don't make any long-distance calls. I make only two or three long-distance calls a year. My friend told me that I should drop the long-distance company and just use 10-10 numbers. Is it possible to do that without the long-distance carrier? How to get low rates
on long distanceAnswer: You do not have to designate a long-distance carrier in advance (presubscribing) and can opt for just a 10-10 "dial-around" company.
But the advice is to shop around, ask a lot of questions and compare alternatives before making any decision.
Many long-distance carriers offer the "dial-around" option as a way to access their network, while allowing you to keep your existing long-distance carrier. The familiar 10-10-220 number, for example, is offered by MCI WorldCom. By dialing around, or bypassing, your primary long-distance carrier, you often are able to obtain lower rates.
The Federal Communications Commission's Common Carrier Bureau says you may be able to save money by dropping your long-distance company if you make very few or no long-distance calls each month.
But it advises you to "be a savvy shopper if you plan to use dial-around," checking about flat monthly charges, per-minute charges, any charges for federal or state programs, etc. Even the dial-around plans may not actually save you money if you're not careful.
Besides dropping your long-distance phone carrier, the FCC suggests two other options if you think you're paying too much or don't need the service.
One is to ask your long-distance phone company about its calling plans and whether changing plans will lower your bill, based on your calling history. Be sure to ask for details about fees, charges or taxes.
"Consumer-oriented Web sites and publications are great places to begin your search," the FCC said, suggesting www.fcc.gov or www.trac.org on the Web, or Consumer Reports Magazine.
If you do decide to drop your presubscribed long-distance carrier, you should call your local phone company, which may charge you a small fee.
Verizon says it doesn't charge a customer for simply dropping a long-distance carrier, but it charges $4.39 for switching carriers.
Presubscribing to a long-distance carrier simplifies long-distance calling, according to Verizon spokeswoman Ann Nishida. You just dial 1, the area code and the phone number. Also, "If you select a plan, the carrier will automatically give you the lower rate if it decreases and must notify you beforehand if the rate increases."
But even if you have a carrier and a plan, or even just a carrier, you can still dial a 10-10 number.
"Today, customers have many options when it comes to long-distance calling," Nishida said. "They have their choice of carriers, plans, calling cards and now, more and more, we're seeing a lot of ads for these dial-around options ... Basically, to get the best savings, customers need to do a little homework and take into account several things: frequency of long-distance calls; length of these calls; when you'll be making these calls -- whether weekdays, nights, weekends. After you determine that, then you should look at long-distance carriers and compare plans, because these are going to vary greatly."
For general information, call the FCC's Consumer Information Bureau at 1-888-CALL-FCC or (TTY) 1-888-TELL-FCC, or check its Web site at www.fcc.gov/cib.
Mahalo
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