How to Compare Long-Distance Rates

If you have a landline telephone in your home, you are no doubt familiar with the concept of the long-distance rate plan. Local calls on a landline telephone are typically part of your regular monthly bill, but long-distance charges vary depending on the service. Some services charge monthly for long-distance calls while some charge per minute.

Instructions

1. Find out what constitutes "long distance" on your current phone plan. Certain plans may define a long-distance call as any call made to an area code that is different from the one where you live. Depending on where you live, this could be a call placed to the next town. Other plans will define long-distance calls as those made past a certain distance -- for example, 50 miles away -- or to another state.

2. Look at the information in the long-distance rate plan to find out how much long-distance calls will actually cost you. This is often defined as a specific charge per minute of the call. A rate plan that charges you 10 cents per minute may seem cheap at first, but if you often call family that lives in another state this can add up quickly.

3. Find out whether there are any periods on the rate plan during which you aren't charged for long-distance calls. Some phone companies offer landline plans with "Free Nights and Weekends," meaning that any long-distance call placed after a certain time at night or on Saturday or Sunday doesn't cost extra money on your monthly bill.

References

• Save on Phone: Long Distance Phone Service Comparison
• ATT: International Calling with ATT World