ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 30, 1996 TAG: 9604010011
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ARLINGTON
MCI Communications Corp. said Friday it will provide coupons that may be redeemed for $2.50 in long-distance service to repay customers who were overcharged for collect calls.
MCI said it learned in January that some customers placing collect calls were billed for an extra minute because of a computer software problem. Since mid-1993, the billing error has cost customers an estimated $44 million, or an average of 18 cents a call, MCI spokesman Michael Tierney said.
The problem affected some callers placed on hold while an operator connected collect calls. In some cases, customers' bills reflected the entire time the caller spent on the line instead of just that portion of the call after the recipient accepted charges, Tierney said.
MCI doesn't know how many customers were affected, but it will offer the coupons to everyone who used the operator-assisted collect system, Tierney said.
MCI reported earnings for 1995 of $1.07 billion, up 20 percent from 1994's $887 million. The company also reported a 20 percent revenue increase from 1-800-COLLECT and calling card services in 1995.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 32 linesby CNB