| > | | | | offer miles per dollar spent on your residential long |
| KNOW THY TELECOM SELF | | | | distance telephone bill. Your long distance telephone |
| Understand your own telephone calling patterns. Do | | | | minutes can add up to a free trip! Also, some phone |
| you make most of your telephone calls during the | | | | carriers provide discounts if you have your long |
| day, night, or on weekends? If you don't make | | | | distance telephone charges billed to your credit card. |
| frequent residential long distance telephone calls, | | | | ALWAYS VERIFY — Read your monthly |
| perhaps a long distance telephone dial-around service | | | | telephone bills closely. Mistakes happen. If you |
| ("10-10") is the right plan for you or a plan with no | | | | suspect one, call your long distance telephone |
| monthly minimum fees. | | | | provider and ask for an explanation. |
| YOU WON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU ASK — Ask | | | | KNOW YOUR "10-10" CODES - Be familiar with the |
| your long distance telephone provider about any | | | | specific telephone calling plans offered by long |
| promotions they might be running. You can even ask | | | | distance dial-around providers. Each has restrictions |
| other long distance telephone companies about any | | | | that define the service. Make sure you understand |
| switching benefits they might be offering. | | | | those restrictions before you make a long distance |
| READ THE FINE PRINT — Phone companies | | | | telephone call. |
| each have different restrictions and offerings. Make | | | | IS IT TIME TO GO WIRELESS? - The wireless phone |
| sure you read the fine print. | | | | industry has matured very quickly, and the wireless |
| BEWARE OF ADDITIONAL CHARGES — Ask | | | | phone companies are offering various telephone |
| if there are monthly, minimum or per-call fees in | | | | service plans that may be right for you. |
| addition to the per minute rates. For example, if a | | | | Bonus Tips for Those Who Make a Low Number of |
| dial-around service charges a $5 monthly fee and you | | | | Calls |
| make only one 10 minute call that month, then you | | | | As with all purchases, read the fine print and make |
| pay an extra 50 cents a minute for that call. | | | | sure that the plan you choose is a "good fit." |
| BE CAREFUL OF COMPARISON RATES IN | | | | Specifically, look at: |
| ADVERTISEMENTS — Consumers should be | | | | If you only make a few residenatial long distance |
| careful about comparison rates in advertisements, | | | | telephone calls a month, consider not subscribing to a |
| such as 50% off of a telephone carrier's "basic" | | | | long distance telephone carrier and using only long |
| rates, because such "basic" telephone rates are often | | | | distance 10-10 numbers or a long distance calling card. |
| not the lowest telphone rates available. | | | | Look for a long distance telephone carrier with no |
| CHECK OUT THE PHONE COMPANIES' WEB SITES | | | | monthly fee and low per minute charges. Some long |
| — Their sites should have specific information | | | | distance calling plans are beneficial too. |
| on their rates and calling plans. | | | | If you decide not to subscribe to a long distance |
| TIE-INS AND OTHER DISCOUNTS — Ask | | | | telephone carrier, call your local phone company and |
| your long distance telephone carrier about mileage | | | | tell them you do not want to subscribe to any long |
| tie-ins that they may offer. Many companies now | | | | distance telephone provider. |