Breaking the Directory Assistance Habit

Colorado.gov

February 28, 2001

Calling 4-1-1Will Cost More Beginning March 1, 2001

Calls to directory assistance are becoming more expensive. Beginning March 1, 2001, Qwest’s rates for dialing 4-1-1 to local directory assistance will be $1.25 cents per call, including call completion. Thismeansyour call will be completed to the party whose phone number you requestedatno additional charge. [1] Call completion is not an optional charge. Previously, the charge for 4-1-1calls made from your home was 85 cents per call with call completion. [2] Qwest's 4-1-1 national directory assistance also increasesto$1.25 per call on March 1 with no call completion option due to federalrestrictions.

Other local telephoneservice providers may have different rates for local directory assistance.For example, AT&T local service customers are not being chargedfor 4-1-1 directory assistance during a limited promotional period.

Calling 00 or 555-1212 or 10-10-9000

Calling 00 or 555-1212 for directory assistance are still more expensive tha ndialing 4-1-1. But WorldCom's 10-10-9000 is now cheaper at 99 cents per call.

For local or national directory assistance, callingAT&T's "00" (or 10-10-ATT-00 if you are not an AT&T long-distance customer), will cost you $1.49 per call, including call completion. CallingMCI WorldCom'sdirectory assistanceat 10-10-9000 will cost you 99 cents for two listings per call, including call completion. If you request a long-distance number and the call is completed, you will pay the associated long-distance charges for the call. If you are a customer of MCI WorldCom or AT&T, you will pay your calling plan rates. If you are not a customer, check the long-distance rates that apply before your call is completed or you could pay more than you expected. Calling (area code) +555-1212 is the most expensiveoption at $1.60 to $1.99 per call. Avoid calling 555-1212 for directory assistance.

So,What's a Consumer to Do?

Hereare some ways to break the directory assistance habit:

1. Look up the number in your directory.

2. Call a friend to get the number; it might be cheaper than using directory assistanceand you’ve connected with a friend. If the number you are looking foris long-distance, you can have a pretty good chat for $1.25 with long-distancerates at 5 to 8 cents per minute.

3.If you have a wireless phone, check that company's directory assistance rates to see if they are cheaper. Sometimes they are.

4. If you do not have a cell phone and must call directory assistance, calling 10-10-9000 is the better deal. Remember that directory assistance rates can change at any time without notice. Check the current price before you dial.

5. If you have a computer, there are several web sites that offer directory assistance free of charge. Here are some to visit:

www.qwestdex.com has national yellow pages and white pages. The default site is for a Yellow Pages search, but if you look carefully, you will find a sentence that says "qwestdex.com can also find:" and if you click on "person," you will be taken to the white pages search engine.
The Ultimates calls itself "a new type of index." It contains links to Yellow Pages and white pages, among others. It has U.S.-wide listings.
TRAC (the Telecommunications Research and Assistance Center) provides national directory assistance, as well as information about a wide variety of communication issues (including how to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission).
555-1212.com provides residential and business listings, as well as a variety of otherdirectory-related information.
Teldir.com is a directory of directories. It provides links to White and Yellow Pages, in English, French, German, French, Spanish, and Italian. In additionto North America, teldir.com has links to telephone directories in Europe, South and Central America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and Australia and the Pacific.

[1] Caution: If your call is completed to a local long-distance number, or you have message or measured service, the additional long-distance or message charges will apply to the completed call.

[2] Local directory assistance was recently deregulated by the legislature, so the rate charged is no longer subject to approval by the Public Utilities Commission.