Competition Means Customers Can Save on Local Toll Calls
ST. LOUIS, July 22, 1999 - MCI WorldCom is striking up
competition in Missouri's local toll calling market. Beginning July
22, Missouri consumers in Southwestern Bell territory will be able to
choose their local toll carrier like they choose their long-distance
provider.
For the first time, consumers who live in areas of the state where
Southwestern Bell provides local phone service will be able to select a
company other than Southwestern Bell to automatically carry their local
toll calls. Previously, in order to choose another carrier, consumers
in Southwestern Bell territory had to dial a cumbersome access code
before placing these calls.
Competition Brings Lower Rates
"More choices in the local toll market means greater savings
for consumers," said Joyce Dorris, MCI WorldCom director of brand
marketing. "Starting tomorrow, MCI One Advantage residential
long-distance customers who live in Missouri can enjoy a low rate of
just 12 cents per minute on their local toll calls -- a 17 percent
savings over Southwestern Bell's most widely used basic
rates."
Local toll calls, also referred to as local long-distance calls, are
calls placed within a Local Access Transport Area (LATA), yet are
outside the local calling area. For example, calls from St. Louis to
Cape Girardeau are local toll calls. Charges for these calls are not
included in a customer's monthly charge for local phone service.
These types of calls generally are itemized on phone bills as local
toll calls or local long-distance.
Consumers interested in learning more about local toll rates or who
would like to sign up for local toll service with MCI WorldCom are
invited to call 1-800-754-3002.
A Long Time Coming
Historically, local toll calls were handled solely by local
telephone monopolies, but competition has gradually increased with the
entry of companies like MCI WorldCom into this market. With the advent
of choice, consumers are seeing lower prices and the other benefits of
competition, such as better customer service.
MCI WorldCom
MCI WorldCom is a global leader in communications services with 1998
revenues of more than $30 billion and established operations in over 65
countries encompassing the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific
regions. MCI WorldCom is a premier provider of facilities-based and
fully integrated local, long distance, international and Internet
services. MCI WorldCom's global networks, including its
state-of-the-art pan-European network and transoceanic cable systems,
provide end-to-end high-capacity connectivity to more than 40,000
buildings worldwide. MCI WorldCom is traded on Nasdaq under WCOM. For
more information on MCI WorldCom, visit the World Wide Web at
http://www.wcom.com.
