At&T; To Introduce Another Calling Plan

AT&T Corp., embroiled in a fierce battle for customers, proposed a new calling plan Thursday that could reduce the average residential customer’s interstate bill by $4.50, officials said.

The plan, which should be available April 1, would require people to enroll, but they would not have to pay a fee, said Joseph Nacchio, president of AT&T Consumer Communications Service.

The average residential interstate bill is about $18 a month. A 25 percent discount through the plan would save customers $4.50, said AT&T spokesman John Skalko.

In addition, AT&T as early as this weekend plans to offer most of its 80 million residential customers a weekend of free calling. The promotion, which ends May 1, will let people make free calls to places they normally call on the weekends, Nacchio said.