telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Moderator) (05/22/89)
Some discussion here about AT&T's Reach Out Plans recently prompted my contact
at AT&T to send me some detailed information about the three international
Reach Out Plans currently offered. As you will note, they differ from the
plan offered domestically in the United States in the time of day they are
in force, as well as how the charges are calculated.
REACH OUT UNITED KINGDOM
This plan offers 30 minutes of calling per month, for a flat rate of $22.00.
Additional half hours are also $22.00, and are pro-rated at 73 cents per
minute, which is less than the usual discount rates. Hours for calling are
1 PM to 6 PM, local time, meaning the call arrives in the UK between around
5 PM and 2 AM next day, depending on your exact time zone here. On Saturday
and Sunday, the hours are 7 AM to 6 PM both days, meaning calls can be
received there between around noon through 2 AM. There is a one time $10.00
sign up fee.
REACH OUT PHILIPPINES
This plan offers 30 minutes of calling per month, for a flat rate of $35.00
for the first half hour, and $33.50 for each additional half hour. Additional
half hours after the first are pro-rated to $1.12 per minute. Again, this
is substantially less than the normal rate or discount period rate for calls
to the Philippines. Plan hours are Monday through Friday from 2 AM to 11 AM,
meaning your call arrives there in the time frame of late afternoon through
early morning next day, depending on the originating US time zone. On weekends
the Philippines plan allows calls between 12:01 AM and 11 AM; then again
between 5 PM and midnight; and after a two hour break, can be resumed beginning
at 2 AM Monday morning. There is a $10 enrollment fee here also.
REACH OUT ISRAEL
This plan is the exception to the bulk, purchase by the half-hour plans.
Instead, there is a continuing $5 per month 'subscription charge' which
entitles you to purchase whatever time desired during plan hours at a much
less than normal or discount rate. Plan hours and rates are as follows --
Monday through Friday: 5 PM to midnight = 85 cents per minute
12:01 AM to 8 AM = $1.05 per minute
Saturday and Sunday: same as above, but an additional window --
8 AM to 5 PM = $1.20 per minute
There is no plan discount available 8 AM to 5 PM weekdays.
While the UK and Philippines plans do save you money once you amortize the
initial one time enrollment fee into your total charges, the Israel
plan -- which also has a $10 enrollment fee -- will only save you
money if your monthly billings are large enough to absorb the monthly
$5 subscription charge and still save money. Based on the few cents
per minute difference in the plan rates versus the least expensive economy
rates, you would need a couple hours per month of calls to Israel to make
it worth while to sign up.
Like all discount phone rates, the hours are bound to be somewhat inconvenient
for either the caller or the person called, with the exception of Saturday
and Sunday calls. And while for the UK plan, persons originating calls from
EST or CST zones would probably have the most compatibility in calling
at times convenient to the UK, the opposite is true of the Philippines plan,
where PST/MST zones would have the greatest flexibility at finding the other
end up, awake and available.
Regards Reach Out America, I've come to the conclusion that although we
in the midwest probably have the most convenient calling window based on
either direction of call other than calls straight 'up or down' within your
own time zone; the fact is we wind up paying more for calls. At 11-12 cents
a minute, calls have to be at least several hundred miles in distance before
the rates would be any higher anyway. Folks on the east, west or southern
coasts at least have the ability to make calls of greater distances.
It reminds of me of the rationale used by telemarketing companies
which locate in the middle west: we have the cheapest WATS rates of anywhere;
after all, you can only call a couple thousand miles one way, or a thousand
the other.
Anyway, to sign up for any of the three international Reach Out Plans listed
here, call AT&T at 1-800-222-0300. I do not believe there is any requirement
that AT&T be your default carrier.
Patrick Townsonandy@csvax.caltech.edu (Andy Fyfe) (06/07/89)
Reach Out Canada doesn't count as an international plan?!?! [Moderator's Note: Yes and no. Some brochures from AT&T call it such; other references just refer to it as one of the Reach Out Plans. Good point. PT]