As you might have read before, I'm moving to the Richmond, Fort Bend area in May...zip code 77469. A buddy of mine who lives in the same zip but a different area tells me he has to pay $50 a month to avoid being in a long distance area from Houston. I had never thought of that before and am now not looking forward to paying $600 a year because I live just a few miles outside of the line if that's the case. I'm going to call SWBell tomorrow. Ouch. os
Several things to ponder: Do you have a cell phone? How many calls do you make to Houston phone numbers from home? It probably isn't Long Distance to Houston from Richmond, but a <i>LATA</i> (Local Access Transport Area) call. From the <A HREF="http://www.puc.state.tx.us/ocp/telephone/tollserv.cfm "> Texas Public Utility Commission site</A> <b> Save on local toll calls</b> <i> Tips from the Public Utility Commission You may be able to shave a few dollars off your phone bill for local toll calls. Some people spend a lot of local toll calls--for example, Austin parents who make frequent calls to keep tabs on their son at college in San Marcos or a Midland couple who phone an elderly aunt in Marfa almost every day. If you spend $10 or more a month on these calls, you should shop around to find the best deal. Local toll calls are those you make to places relatively close to home—within your Local Access Transport Area or LATA. Check your local phone book for your LATA boundaries. In the past, these intraLATA calls were automatically carried and billed by your local phone company. But now you have a choice. Last year, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) ordered Southwestern Bell (SWB) to open its local toll calling markets to competition, but SWB can charge you $5 to switch. In some parts of Texas, local toll calls can cost more than out-of-state long-distance calls. So they may be a big part of your phone bill. Take a look. You can compare costs by calling your local phone service provider and long distance carriers and asking about their rates. Also ask about calling packages that may be based on the number of calls, the time spent per call, the phone number or numbers being called and other services subscribed to by the customer. The best company for you will depend on your calling habits. If you decide to change, contact the company you want to handle your local toll calls. If you take no action, your current carrier will continue to provide your local toll service. New customers will be given a choice of local toll providers when they apply for local service. Customers also need to beware of slamming. They may be victimized by an unauthorized change from one local toll provider to another. If this happens to you, call the PUC toll-free at 1-888-782-8477. </i> Mango
