Making Sense
of Long-Distance Advertising |
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Looking for a
great long-distance deal? |
Think youve found the cheapest rates, but still confused by all the
ads?
Heres how to sort out whats clearly in ads and
what's not.
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Look for all the information
related to PRICE. |
Monthly Fees: When an ad promises 10 cents a
minute, look for any monthly fees or surcharges you'll have to pay to get that rate.
Minimum Charges: Look for minimum charges
for each call. If every call has a 50-cent minimum, even a two-minute call can cost you 50
cents. On "up to 20 minutes for a dollar" plans, a one-minute call or a message
you leave on an answering machine is a dollar.
Climbing Rates: An ad may say that all calls
up to 20 minutes are a dollar. Look for information on what happens to the rate structure
after 20 minutes. Rates may increase dramatically.
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Look for all the
information related to RESTRICTIONS on the advertised rates. |
Time Restrictions: Is the advertised rate
available when you want it? Some rates may apply only at certain times of the day or only
on certain days of the week. What are the rates at the other times?
Geographic Restrictions: Is the advertised
rate available on all long distance calls - those that you make to someone in another
state as well as those that you make to someone in another city in your own state? Some
plans do not include long distance calls in the same state. Find out what those rates are
and factor them in when you make your decision.
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Promotional Restrictions: Are the advertised
rates constant or an introductory offer that's good for a limited time - like the first 60
days of your subscription? If so, what are the rates once the promotion is over?
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Decode COMPARATIVE CLAIMS.
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Basic Rates: An ad promising "50
percent off the basic rate" isn't a good deal because the "basic" rate is
another term for the highest rate available.
Comparable Services: When ads compare
calling rates, are the services comparable? Is the information on both sides of the
comparison as current as possible?
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Look for the FINE
PRINT. Read it. |
Advance Work: Offers and
restrictions vary. Each long distance provider has their own deals. Read the details from
all the companies you are considering before you sign up. If you have questions, call the
company for an explanation.
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Look at your MONTHLY BILLS
carefully. |
Pay attention to your bill, checking to make sure you are
being charge exactly what you expected. If you think there's a mistake, or if you just
don't understand your bill, call your provider for an explanation.
For More Information
For Consumers:
Consumer Alert! Making Sense of Long-Distance Advertising
[TEXT] [PDF]
For Businesses:
Joint FCC/FTC Policy Statement for the Advertising of
Dial-Around and Other Long-Distance Services to Consumers [PDF]
To File a Complaint
For additional information about telephone service plans,
please call the FCC's toll-free number 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322): TTY users
1-888-835-5322. You may write the Consumer Information Bureau, Federal Communications
Commission, 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20554. Additional information is
available through the internet at www.fcc.gov.
The FTC works for the consumer to
prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the
marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and
avoid them. To file a
complaint or to get free information
on consumer issues, visit
www.ftc.gov or
call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The
FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related
complaints into
Consumer Sentinel, a
secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law
enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION |
FOR THE CONSUMER |
1-877-FTC-HELP |
www.ftc.gov |
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Revised: 12/18/2000 |