It is getting more expensive to get a phone number from a local or long distance company. That's the "411 on 411" from the Telecommunications Research & Action Center (TRAC), which today released a survey of local, long distance and wireless directory assistance (DA) charges. TRAC, the nation's leading non-profit group in telecommunications, has been publishing rate comparisons for consumers and small businesses since 1984.

Local directory assistance (411) has increased dramatically in most States since TRAC last published its survey in June of 2000. Local DA rates are set on a State-by-State basis; while the long distance companies set most long distance DA rates nationally. In Atlanta for example, the cost for each 411 call has gone up to 95 cents (from 85 cents) since our June chart. You now only get one listing, where back in June 2000, you got two. In Dallas, the rate has increased from 30 cents to 75 cents, but you now get five free listings per month instead of three. The most dramatic increase was in the Denver area. In June 2000, consumers received one free listing per month and were charged 40 cents for each listing thereafter. Now, it's $1.25 per listing with none free.

Local DA did not go up in every State. The Chicago area remained steady at 95 cents per listing, as well as the New York area at 45 cents per listing. Los Angeles consumers still get 3 calls per month free before being charged 46 cents, but are allowed to request 3 listings per call. Washington, D.C. consumers still enjoy 5 calls per month free with a 36 cents rate thereafter, but are allowed 2 listings per call.

In long distance directory assistance (1-area code-555-1212), MCI WorldCom and Sprint increased their rates to $1.99, from $1.49 and $1.50 respectively. However, prices for special "10-10" and "00" services remained steady.

As in June of 2000, TRAC found that the "best deal" on DA for long distance numbers is almost always National 411 (N411). That is, dialing 411 and asking for a number in a distant city. For example, in the Los Angeles, California area, this costs the same as local 411- 46 cents (compared to $1.49 to $1.99 for LD DA). Even in areas of the country where the charge is higher (95 cents) - Dallas, New York, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. - N411 is always cheaper than dialing 1-area code-555-1212.

Wireless 411

TRAC for the first time compared the price of directory assistance among the nation's five largest wireless phone companies, and compared them to the landline charges. "Consumers are less likely to have a phone number handy when away from home, " said Samuel A. Simon, TRAC's Chairman. "So they are more likely to just hit "411" on the cell phone to get the number. We were also curious, since wireless service is now competing against long distance companies, whether wireless DA was competitive with land line rates."

TRAC found that the most important consideration in using wireless is the wireless plan a consumer has since DA calls count as billable minutes of use. If a consumer is on a wireless plan with a lot of minutes or with "free nights and week-ends" then the DA calls might end up being less expensive than some land phone prices. "If you are paying for those minutes of use, plus the fee for DA, then you probably will be worse off using your wireless for DA," said Karen Walls, TRAC Staff Associate.

The actual cost of local and national 411 on wireless phones (not counting air time) is sometimes higher, but sometimes lower, than landline. For example, local 411 is cheaper from your land phone in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles and Dallas, but more expensive in Denver. Sprint Wireless offers directory assistance at 99 cents per call plus airtime, but you can request up to 4 listings.

But at 99 cents, wireless N411 directory assistance is always cheaper than dialing 1-area code-555-1212 from your land phone. (Again ignoring the cost of air time.) Wireless N411 directory assistance is also cheaper than Sprint's landline "00" service and AT&T's "00" and "10-10" services.

To obtain a copy of TRAC's Directory Assistance Comparison Chart, send a $1 check or money order and a self addressed stamped envelope (55 cents postage) to TRAC, P.O. Box 27279, Washington, D.C. 20005. You can also order an electronic or hard copy with a credit card on TRAC's website, http://www.trac.org.

TRAC HOT-TIPS FOR CONSUMERS

"THE 411 ON 411"

1. Take advantage of free listings! "Save up" your requests and ask for more than one listing where allowed. Before you call directory assistance, make sure you know all the listings you need, rather than calling for just one. If you discover a few minutes later that you need another listing, you pay the full fee all over again.
2. Use Internet Look Ups. TRAC's site links to many online directory assistance look-ups. These are free, so use them whenever you can. They are also getting more accurate. A new FCC rule has made it easier for Internet DA to be updated more often.
3. Dial 411! Use 411, whether national or local, whenever possible. It's almost always cheapest. Let's say you make 10 calls in a month, requesting one local directory assistance listing each time. In the Washington, D.C. area, using 411 will cost you $1.80. Using AT&T's heavily advertised "00" will cost you $14.90. Using 411 saves you $13.10! Get the chart to see the savings in other areas!
4. Call a Friend Instead. Depending on your calling plan, it may be cheaper to call a friend for a number than using directory assistance. For example, if you are on a wireless phone with "unlimited night and week-end" calling, consider calling a friend who knows the number you are looking for, or who has access to a phone book. Or if you are on a calling plan that charges only $.05 a minute, it takes a 20 minute phone call before you spend as much as one DA calls costs!
5. Keep Numbers Handy. Get a good phone directory system or use the technology that many phones offer. Most cell phones let you record in a directory the numbers of incoming phone calls automatically. Similarly, with new phones for home, they almost always have a speed dial function. These technologies can pay for themselves compared to the growing cost of directory assistance today.

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