Parker Lecture and Awards Luncheon Is Fast Approaching - TRAC’s signature event, the annual Everett C. Parker Ethics in Telecommunications Lecture and Awards Luncheon will be here before you know it! This year’s event will be held on Tuesday, September 18 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The event, co-sponsored by TRAC and the Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc., is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. In honor of the 25th anniversary, this year’s program promises to be one of the best yet. The 2007 honorees are Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine, Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary, and Emma Bowen Foundation President and CEO Phylis Eagle-Oldson. The Parker Lecturer will be Reverend Robert Chase, Founding Director of Intersections and former Executive Director of the Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc. (OC, Inc.) In his former role at OC, Inc. Reverend Chase was instrumental in the success of the Parker event and he is sure to be an electrifying speaker at this year’s event. Every year brings a surprise or two and we expect this year’s event to be no different. TRACNotes readers interested in attending the event can contact Jose Guzman at jguzman@trac.org to learn more and purchase tickets. The event is named in honor of Dr. Everett C. Parker, who pioneered the public interest in broadcasting and the media reform movement. Described by Broadcasting magazine as “the founder of the citizen movement in broadcasting,” Dr. Parker first gained national attention thanks to his role in getting the broadcast license of WLBT-TV in Jackson, Mississippi revoked in 1969. This case gave local citizens and organizations the right to challenge broadcast station renewals, which had a huge impact on promoting a fair discussion of the civil rights movement in the South in the 1960’s and 1970’s. To learn more about the legacy of Dr. Parker and the event that bears his name, click here.
TRAC State-by-State Local Phone Plan Comparison: Wisconsin - (Note: This is the forty-ninth in a series of articles comparing local telephone rates in each of the 50 states.) Wisconsin residents looking to save money on their local phone bills have many choices available to them. While the number of competing wireline carriers has dwindled, there still remain a fair number of competitors for local service. For example, according to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC), there are 21 local service providers (including cable companies) offering residential service in the City of Milwaukee. While most areas of the state will not have this amount of competition, Wisconsin is one state where there appear to be more choices available than elsewhere in the country. Two of the largest carriers in Wisconsin are AT&T (formerly SBC), which provides service to most of the state’s residents, Verizon, which provides service in the former GTE service areas, and CenturyTel, which is a large independent carrier. Basic local service plans from these companies will typically cost in excess of $30 per month, even for a bare-bones local package. There are also a great many rural local exchange carriers operating in Wisconsin. They typically offer basic local service with Caller ID and call waiting for $25-$35 per month, with most companies coming in under the $30 per month mark. Savings on local service may be offset by higher long distance rates for rural customers, but the fact remains that customers of rural carriers are likely to pay less for local service than their big-city counterparts in the Verizon, AT&T, and CenturyTel service areas. Consumers looking for companies offering service in their particular area should consult the Wisconsin PSC’s excellent Local Service Competitors map, which lists all the providers offering service in every city, town, and village in Wisconsin. It is available online by clicking here.
A note on methodology: TRAC’s local phone plan survey takes in to account the prices for monthly service, the federal subscriber line charge, and the two most popular calling options – Caller ID and call waiting. Note that some local phone service plans are only offered as a bundle with long distance service, which skews the total cost comparison somewhat. TRAC’s survey covered plans being offered in a variety of local service areas. Plans surveyed may not be available in every area of the state
| TRAC Local Phone Plan Comparison: Wisconsin |
| Carrier |
Plan |
Monthly Service Fee |
Caller ID |
Call Waiting |
Federal Subscriber Line Charge |
Broadband Fee* |
Total |
| Americom |
Simiplicity Local Premiere |
$43.99 |
Included |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$50.49 |
| Amherst Telephone Company |
Local Telephone Service |
$16.11 |
$6.95 |
$2.25 |
Included |
N/A |
$25.31 |
| AT&T |
Complete Choice |
$32.00 |
Included |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$38.50 |
| AT&T |
Primary Residential Line |
$8.39 - $12.50 |
$9.95 |
$6.00 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$30.84 - $34.95 |
| Baldwin Telecom |
Residential Line |
$23.00 |
$5.00 |
$1.25 |
Included |
N/A |
$29.25 |
| Bayland Telephone |
Value Plan |
$29.95 |
$2.00 - $4.00 |
$2.00 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$40.45 - $42.45 |
| Bergen Telephone |
Residential Plan |
$12.75 |
$2.00 |
$7.00 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$28.25 |
| Bloomer Telephone |
Local Service |
$21.00 |
$2.60 - $4.00 |
$1.50 |
Included |
N/A |
$23.90 - $26.50 |
| Bruce Telephone |
Local Calling |
$23.00 |
$2.50 - $4.00 |
$1.50 |
Included |
N/A |
$27.00 - $28.50 |
| CenturyTel |
Unlimited Savings Bundle |
$39.95 - $59.95 |
Included |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$46.45 - $66.45 |
| Charter Communications |
Unlimited Local and Long Distance Calling |
$49.99 |
Included |
N/A |
$39.45 |
$89.44 |
| Chequamegon Telephone Cooperative |
Residential Line |
$30.00 |
$8.00 |
$1.00 |
Included |
N/A |
$39.00 |
| Chibardun Telephone Cooperative |
Basic Rate |
$14.85 - $17.85 |
$3.00 - $5.00 |
$1.00 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$25.35 - $30.35 |
| Citizens Telephone Cooperative |
Basic Service |
$20.00 |
$5.00 |
Included |
N/A |
$25.00 |
| Clear Lake Telephone Company |
Local Phone |
$20.00 |
$3.50 - $5.50 |
$2.00 |
Included |
N/A |
$25.50 - $27.50 |
| ClearTel |
Simple Plan (1,000 local minutes) |
$19.95 |
$4.00 |
$4.00 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$34.45 |
| ClearTel |
Enhanced Plan |
$32.95 |
Included |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$39.45 |
| Cochrane Cooperative Telephone Company |
Residential Line |
$23.00 |
$3.00 |
$1.50 |
Included |
N/A |
$27.50 |
| Comcast |
Unlimited Plan (requires bundling with broadband and cable TV) |
$39.95 |
Included |
N/A |
N/A |
$39.95 |
| Comcast |
Unlimited Plan (without bundled broabdand and cable TV) |
$44.95 |
Included |
N/A |
N/A |
$44.95 |
| Coon Valley Farmers Telephone Company |
Basic Service |
$20.00 |
$3.50 - $4.50 |
$1.75 |
Included |
N/A |
$25.25 - $26.25 |
| Cuba City Telephone Exchange Company |
Local Telephone Service |
$20.57 |
$3.50 - $5.00 |
$0.55 |
Included |
N/A |
$24.62 - $26.12 |
| Frontier Communications |
Basic Local Exchange Service (Mondovi exchange) |
$11.85 |
$7.00 |
$3.00 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$28.35 |
| Frontier Communications |
Basic Local Exchange Service |
$12.92 - $15.65 |
$11.95 (with Feature 5 Pack) |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$31.37 - $34.10 |
| Hager TeleCom |
Local Service |
$14.40 |
$2.95 |
$1.50 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$25.35 |
| Indianhead Telephone Company |
Local Service |
$19.50 |
$2.95 - $4.00 |
$1.50 |
Included |
N/A |
$23.95 - $25.00 |
| Lakefield Telephone Company |
Phone Line |
$30.67 |
$3.90 - $6.50 |
$2.55 |
Included |
N/A |
$37.12 - $39.72 |
| Lakefield Telephone Company |
Phone Line |
$30.67 |
$3.90 - $6.50 |
$2.55 |
Included |
N/A |
$37.12 - $39.72 |
| La Valle Telephone Cooperative |
Basic Residential Service |
$11.10 |
$5.00 |
$0.90 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$23.50 |
| Lakeland Communications |
Residential Line |
$23.50 |
$4.50 |
$2.50 |
Included |
N/A |
$30.50 |
| Lemonweir Valley Telephone Company |
Local Residential Plan |
$8.15 - $8.95 |
$5.95 |
$1.95 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$22.55 - $23.35 |
| Manawa Telephone Company |
Local Service |
$22.00 |
$4.50 - $7.50 |
$1.00 |
Included |
N/A |
$27.50 - $30.50 |
| Marquette-Adams Telephone Cooperative |
Basic Service |
$19.21 |
$4.50 |
$1.50 |
Included |
N/A |
$25.21 |
| The Mosinee Telephone Company |
Basic Service |
$27.49 |
$8.50 |
$2.50 |
Included |
N/A |
$38.49 |
| Mount Horeb Telephone Company |
Local Phone |
$15.70 - $19.50 |
$4.50 - $7.00 |
$1.00 - $3.00 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$27.70 - $36.00 |
| Nelson Telephone Cooperative |
Residential Line |
$25.00 |
$3.00 - $4.50 |
$1.00 |
Included |
N/A |
$29.00 - $30.50 |
| Niagara Telephone Company |
Basic Phone Service |
$12.45 |
$5.90 - $9.50 |
$1.65 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$26.51 - $30.11 |
| Northeast Telephone Company |
Basic Dial Tone |
$22.00 |
$9.95 |
$3.70 |
Included |
N/A |
$35.65 |
| Packet8 |
Freedom Unlimited |
$19.99 |
Included |
N/A |
$39.45 |
$59.44 |
| Packet8 |
Freedom Unlimited (without broadband fee) |
$19.99 |
Included |
N/A |
N/A |
$19.99 |
| Price County Telephone Company |
Basic Phone Service |
$20.00 |
$7.95 |
$1.65 |
Included |
N/A |
$29.60 |
| Rhinelander Telephone Company (Frontier) |
Basic Local Exchange Service |
$9.10 - $12.52 |
$4.00 - $9.00 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$19.60 - $28.02 |
| Richard-Grant Telephone Cooperative |
Local Exchange Service |
$23.50 |
$7.00 |
$1.25 |
Included |
N/A |
$31.75 |
| Sage Telecom |
Simply Savings Essentials |
$24.99 |
Included |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$31.49 |
| Sharon Telephone Company |
Basic Service |
$20.00 |
$7.00 |
$2.00 |
Included |
N/A |
$29.00 |
| Solarus |
Basic Landline Service |
$23.00 |
$6.70 |
$1.40 |
Included |
N/A |
$31.10 |
| Spring Valley Telephone Company |
Local Phone Service |
"$20.59 |
$4.00 |
$1.50 |
Included |
N/A |
$26.09 |
| State Long Distance Telephone Company |
Standard Telephone Service |
$9.65 |
$7.00 - $9.50 |
$2.25 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$25.40 - $27.90 |
| TDS |
Phone Line |
$19.39 - $33.31 |
$6.50 - $8.50 |
$1.85 - $4.00 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$34.24 - $52.31 |
| Time Warner |
Digital Phone |
$39.95 |
Included |
N/A |
$39.45 |
$79.40 |
| Tri-County Communications Co-op |
Residential Phone Plan |
$17.00 |
$4.50 |
$1.00 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$29.00 |
| Union Telephone Company |
Local Telephone Service |
$20.00 |
$5.95 |
$2.00 |
Included |
N/A |
$27.95 |
| Verizon |
Unlimited Pak |
$17.58 |
$8.95 - $9.95 |
$6.25 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$39.28 - $40.28 |
| Verizon |
Local Package |
$34.99 |
Included |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$41.49 |
| Vernon Telephone Cooperative |
Residential Line |
$11.00 |
$3.00 |
$1.25 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$21.75 |
| Vernon Telephone Cooperative |
Resdiential Line (Genoa and DeSoto exchanges) |
$9.50 |
$3.00 |
$1.25 |
$6.50 |
N/A |
$20.25 |
| Vonage |
Premium Unlimited Plan |
$24.99 |
Included |
N/A |
$39.45 |
$64.44 |
| Vonage |
Residential Basic 500 Minutes Plan |
$14.99 |
Included |
N/A |
$39.45 |
$54.44 |
| Vonage |
Premium Unlimited Plan (without broadband fee) |
$24.99 |
Included |
N/A |
N/A |
$24.99 |
| Vonage |
Residential Basic 500 Minutes Plan (without broadband fee) |
$14.99 |
Included |
N/A |
N/A |
$14.99 |
| West Wisconsin Communications |
Basic Service |
$25.00 - $26.00 |
$4.00 |
$0.75 |
Included |
N/A |
$29.75 - $30.75 |
| Wittenberg Telephone Company |
Local Phone Service |
$22.00 |
$7.95 |
$1.50 |
Included |
N/A |
$31.45 |
* Average of nationwide cable modem prices as defined by Kagan Research - 7/6/06.
Tips on Avoiding Text-Messaging Spam - A blog posting complaining about unwanted text messages on prepaid AT&T phones caught our eye recently. In the posting, a woman complains about having to pay text-messaging fees for spam text messages she received and AT&T’s apparent inability to do anything to control the problem. This is not an uncommon issue. Most carriers charge for every text message received, whether the message is legitimate or spam. AT&T customers can log in to their MyWireless online accounts and disable marketing from AT&T via text message, but this does little to address the problem since text messages from AT&T are generally free. Some users have reported being able to cut down on text message spam by asking their carrier to block certain numbers from sending text messages. For example, a user who consistently receives spam messages from an auto insurance provider using a particular number could be blocked. Unfortunately, since spam can come from virtually any number, this is a half-solution at best. Another option could be disable messages that come via companies’ web portals (e.g. yournumber@tmomail.net). This may prevent spammers who try to mass e-mail numbers associated with a companies’ wireless web portal. This will not protect against messages that originate from cell phones, however. Unfortunately, because American wireless providers are allowed to charge for text messages received (versus Europe and elsewhere where all expenses are incurred by the sender), this is unlikely to change soon. The best bet for customers who receive unwanted text spam is to contact their provider and ask for a credit for the fees incurred receiving the message. Finally, changing your mobile number may solve the problem as well since the new number is unlikely to be in spammers’ databases.
TRAC IN THE NEWS
Taxes and Fees Dramatically Increase Phone Service Bills, Says TRAC - A good rule of thumb for consumers trying to figure out the true cost of phone service is to look at the cost a company quotes you and add 20%, said TRAC in a recent edition of the Florida Times-Union. “Consumers shopping for phone service might switch from their current provider because they think they'll get a lower price, only to find when they get the bill they really haven't saved anything,” said TRAC Research Associate John Breyault. The difficulty in figuring the “checkbook cost” of phone service is one of the main reasons that consumer hesitate to switch providers. In Florida, for example, wireless service plan costs increase by almost 15% thanks to taxes and fees. State and local taxes on wired telephone service add 9.17% and 5.82% (respectively) to the cost of service. Then there is the 11.3% federal universal service fund charge on long distance calls and the $6.50 (per line) federal subscriber line charge on local service, just to name two of the larger taxes. To read the full Times-Union article, click here.
INTERESTING LINKS
FCC Main Page: http://www.fcc.gov
FCC Complaint Form - http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cib/fcc475.cfm
List of State Regulatory Commissions: http://www.naruc.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=15
What do you think? Got a tip you want to share? Nominate your "Scam of the Week" and your "Tip of the Week" - If we select your submission, we'll give you a one-year free membership in TRAC and acknowledge your contribution by name in TRACNotes. Send an e-mail to trac@trac.org to submit your ideas!
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©2007 Telecommunications Research and Action Center. TRAC grants unlimited rights to reproduce TRACNotes or any information contained in it provided attribution is given as follows: "Source: Telecommunications Research and Action Center. http://www.trac.org"
