Albany Mutual Telephone

Why can’t I get service from the long-distance company I want? And, why can’t I get the long-distance rate plans I see advertised?

Many national long-distance companies do not offer service or their advertised rate plans in rural areas. Thus, many of the customers we serve find only frustration when they try to select a long-distance company, make a “10-10” call (10-10-321, for example), or pick a calling plan they’ve seen advertised on TV.

When customers ask for an explanation, the long-distance companies usually point to us, the “local” company, as the reason why certain carriers, services, or advertised calling plans are not available.

As your local telecom provider, we’d like to make it clear that we have no say in a long-distance company’s decision to offer service, rates, or calling plans here in our area. For a long-distance carrier to provide service here or to offer you dial-around (10-10) calling options, it must request that we program our switching facilities to recognize its “identification” code – or particular 10-10 code. If the long-distance company does not make the request, we cannot process the call.

Choosing a long-distance calling plan is an even more direct issue. Long distance calling plans are unique only in their pricing; there are no technical or service-related factors that require a local company to play any role at all in a long-distance company’s decision to make a calling plan available to certain customers or in certain areas. The only decision is the long-distance company’s willingness to offer its plan wherever and to whomever it chooses, and its obligation to offer non-discriminatory rates.

Back to Top

Why are my long-distance rates so high?

You must be careful to read and understand all terms and conditions before you can expect to see any “5-cent anytime” benefits.

Since many long-distance companies choose not to offer their low-rate plans here, that means if you want their service, you’re stuck with their “basic” rates, usually well above any advertised specials.

First of all, you must first find out if the low rates and calling plan you want is even offered here. And, if it is, you still have to look closely at the fine print or you may wind up surprised by higher rates than expected and additional charges.

Despite all the hype, lower rates are not automatic, may apply only to interstate (state to state) calls, and usually come with other strings attached. Some plans specify defined hours during which the lower rates apply; off-hour calls are billed at much higher rates. Also, most plans include a monthly “buy-in” charge, and some even require a “set-up” fee.

Back to Top

Are there alternatives to the national long-distance companies? Can I continue to get one bill for my local and long-distance charges?

Many community based telecom providers provide their customers a long-distance option that’s “closer to home.” Expecting that rural customers won’t see better service from the big long-distance companies, we concluded that if our customers were to have a real prospect of better long-distance service, it would have to come locally … from here in the community … from your local telecom provider.

So, that’s that’s just what we did. We offer long-distance service that’s quite unlike what you may be used to: Competitive rates and calling plans, but with the advantage of the one-to-one service quality you expect from a company based here in the community … and made up of friends and neighbors, not remote service centers and 800 numbers.

We’re proud to offer you a long-distance choice and to provide you the continued convenience of one bill for all your telecom needs.

Back to Top

What is the Federal Universal Service Charge on my long-distance bill? Do all long-distance companies charge the same fee?

This charge (also called the Universal Connectivity Fee or Carrier Universal Service Charge) is similar to the FUSC for local service. All telecom providers, including long-distance companies, are required to contribute to the support of federal universal service.

Federal regulators are responsible for assessing, currently on a quarterly basis, the long-distance FUSC as a percentage (to date, in a range of 7% to 9%) of your state-to-state and international toll charges.

The FCC prohibits any telecom provider from charging a percentage above the mandatory federal level. However, the FCC does allow companies to include additional “administrative” or “regulatory” fees on customers’ bills, and many of the large national long-distance companies have done so.

On the other hand, most long-distance subsidiaries of community based telecom providers have not added such new fees – in fact, many do not pass the long-distance FUSC on to their customers at all.

Back to Top

My long-distance bill includes a “one-bill” charge. How can I get my local and long-distance charges on a single bill without being charged?

Some long-distance companies charge as much as $1.50 per month to combine long-distance charges and local charges on the same bill. These companies include this charge in the billing information they submit to the local company with whom they contract to bill for them. A local company that bills for a long-distance company does not authorize a one-bill fee.

Some local companies still bill for AT&T, and in those cases, customers can continue to get both charges on one bill – though AT&T mandates the “one” or “combined” bill charge in many areas. Other carriers; e.g., MCI and Sprint, usually bill on their own, so a “combined” bill is not available. Because of recent developments in long-distance, many community based telecom providers no longer have billing relationships with AT&T. Thus, AT&T directly bills its customers, and the long-distance calls those customers make are included on a separate AT&T bill.

With many community based telecom providers now offering long-distance service, customers who want their local and long-distance charges on one combined bill can select their local, long-distance provider as their preferred carrier.

Long distance service provided by these companies generally offer rates and plans comparable to those of national carriers. At the same time, community based companies offer the advantage of a long-distance alternative closer to home – with service from people you know and trust.

Back to Top

I’m confused about the rates I’ve been charged for my long-distance calls. How are my 1+ calls charged?

Your bill lists charges for the individual long-distance calls you’ve made using the long-distance company you’ve chosen as your preferred, 1+ carrier. Long distance rates differ significantly depending on the type of call you make; i.e., out of region (state-to-state) or regional; interLATA or intraLATA. Also, calls are generally priced based on duration and time-of-day.

Most long-distance companies have “basic rate” service (no calling plan) with rates that are much higher than those they feature in their calling plans, which offer reduced per-minute rates, but require a monthly “buy-in” fee that remains constant regardless of the number of 1+ calls a customer makes.

Back to Top