🚀 go-pugleaf

Charles Bain (cbain@idi.net) wrote:
: On behalf of TRAC, I'm posting this announcement of TRAC's release of its
: new Tele-Tips Long Distance Residential Comparison Chart.  The chart is
: available at a very low cost to all consumers.  The following message also
: has other helpful hints to help consumers save money on their phone bills. 
: We also just released a long distance business rate comparison, available
: for $5.00.  TRAC is a non-profit, independent consumer interest
: organization. 

:            --------------------------------------------

: FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
: Charles Bain                                      August 31, 1994
: (202) 462-2520


:        RESIDENTIAL LONG DISTANCE COSTS INCREASED IN 1994,


Thanks for this info. it is quite useful. I just have a couple of 
comments. There are several things about this that lead me to believe 
that this is not indeed a non-profit independent service as it claims. 
For one thing it was posted twice. For another it seems to favor the 
major carriers. 

I understand that information is derived from publically available 
sources and many of the switchless resellers are not required to make 
this information public. However to base the opinion that switchless 
resellers are not always the lowest is a mistatement. The report is 
probably correct that *some* switchless reselllers are not always lower 
than the big 3 but I know of many that are indeed lower.

You cannot provide a useful service if you do not include all players and 
all plans. To do otherwise gives the reported ones an unfair advantage. 
This is a very complex market and I am afraid the public will never know 
the full truth as rates and spoke & mirror claims are on-going.

To say that switchless resellers are the most agressive is pure bunk. You 
tell me what the big 3 are doing with the nearly $4 billion they spent on 
advertising last year? You tell me that they are not trying to pull the 
wool over our eyes by giving the glitzy TV hype and then flashing a 
disclaimer in a little box for 1 second.

Most of the Big 3 carrier plans require a minimum usage, a monthly charge 
or some other way of getting you to stay with them for a set amount of 
time. I feel that AT&T is guilty of pure bribery by offering monetary 
checks to people to switch back. However they have the power and will do 
as they da*n please.

Plans that offer flat rates are not always the lowest. These are usually 
switchless resellers. To try to keep up with who is the lowest at any 
given time is pure lunacy. Base your research on your own calling 
patterns and what is useful to you. For instance my company gives away a 
very nice Hotel/travel package absolutley free. Hey, some people don't 
travel!

I will take Trac up on the $2 offer as I want to see some figures for the 
big guys.

Ken Leonard
Excel Telecomunications, Inc.
ken@kaiwan.com