June 27, 2000, Washington, D.C. -- The Telecommunications Research and Action Center (TRAC) released an addendum to its May 2000 TeleTips^TM Residential Long Distance Comparison Chart today that indicates residential consumers in New York now have more competitive choice than ever. TRAC conducted its study to determine the impact of Bell Atlantic as the first local Bell telephone company to enter the long distance market in its own service area. The results reveal that Bell Atlantic's plans rank favorably with existing choices, and in some cases rates are significantly lower.

Consumers are now seeing the greatest cost increases in fees and surcharges. Bell Atlantic offers three plans with no minimum monthly fees, and cost savings that can range from $3.76 to $8.95 when compared with other carriers. Its directory assistance charge of 95 cents per call falls below other companies' charges, which range from $1.10 to $1.60 and it includes information for 2 listings. While some companies waive the surcharge for calling cards on select plans, Bell Atlantic and Frontier are the only companies that have no calling card surcharges at all.

TRAC urges consumers to analyze their unique calling patterns to determine their best choice. The bottom line is that there is money to be saved by choosing a long distance plan that fits your needs, and TRAC's TeleTipsÔ makes it easy to figure that out.

You can obtain TRAC's most recent comparison chart on residential long distance service options, including the New York addendum, by sending a $5 check or money order and a self addressed stamped (55 cents) envelope to: TRAC, P.O. Box 27279, Washington, D.C. 20005. Or try visiting TRAC's website (www.trac.org) and using WebPricer, an Internet-based long distance comparison tool.

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