Gte Latest To Offer Long Distance Service Phone Company Begins Offering Deals In North Idaho Today

GTE has joined the mad rush on the part of local telephone service providers to offer long distance service.

GTE’s 118,000 North Idaho customers can have the company provide long distance service beginning today. The phone giant has offered the service in 13 other states, and plans to offer it in the remaining 14 states it serves by year-end.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996, passed four month ago, allows local phone companies to enter the highly competitive long distance arena.

Other local phone service companies like US West also have begun offering service. US West provides local service in Spokane, but those residents can have GTE provide long distance service if they choose.

GTE leases its long distance lines from other companies, but GTE will offer “very competitive” rates for its new long distance customers, said Barbara Bellinghausen, director of the GTE Long Distance Launch.

For calls made during peak hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., calls will average about 20 cents a minute. For calls during off-peak hours, the rate goes down to 10 cents a minute.

Residential customers who spend $10 on long distance will receive a 10 percent discount on their calls. Customers spending $25 or more get 25 percent off their bill, Bellinghausen said.

Business customers have a variety of calling plans to choose from that will give them discounts depending on when they call and how much they call, she said.

“Our customers have been asking us to do this for quite a while,” she said. “They want one bill, they want a service that has savings and that’s easy to use.”

While many phone company have announced plans to enter the long distance market, GTE already has, Bellinghausen said.

Residential customers interested in getting the service can call (800) GTE-3737. Business customers can call (800) PICK GTE.

, DataTimes