THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 13, 1996 TAG: 9606130357
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVE MAYFIELD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 51 lines
The president of GTE Corp.'s Virginia phone operation said Wednesday that the company's expansion into long-distance telephone services is the first step in a plan to offer a one-stop shop of communications services.
GTE, the state's second-largest local phone company behind Bell Atlantic Corp., said it has added long-distance services to its menu of options for Virginia phone users.
In the near future, customers also will be able to get one bill for local, long-distance and cellular phone services, said GTE-Virginia President Ed Weise. By the end of the year GTE will add access to the global Internet computer network to its one-bill system, he said, noting plans to branch into video services as well in the next few years.
``The more we can package as a company, the more attractive it's going to be to our customers,'' Weise said.
GTE isn't alone in its efforts. AT&T Corp., Bell Atlantic, MCI Communications Inc. and Cox Communications Inc. are among more than a dozen big companies trying to set themselves up as one-stop telecommunications shops. They're taking advantage of revised state and federal laws allowing more competition in phone and cable-TV services.
GTE's long-distance plan is being offered not just to its 430,000 Virginia customers, including about 70,000 in greater Hampton Roads, but to customers of all other local phone companies in the state.
Under the plan, customers will be eligible for discounts of up to 25 percent off standard long-distance rates. The largest discount, a rate of 20 cents per minute for peak calling times and 10 cents a minute for off-peak calling times, will be available to customers who make more than $25 worth of calls a month.
As part of an introductory program, GTE said it will double those discounts to as much as 50 percent for the first six months.
The non-introductory rates would make GTE's prices comparable with the steepest discounts available from long-distance leader AT&T. But GTE's and AT&T's definitions of peak and off-peak vary, which might make a difference in price depending on when someone typically calls.
GTE's peak calling period is from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and off-peak is all other hours.
AT&T breaks its calling periods three ways instead of two. Non-discounted day rates last from 8 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. Monday through Friday. Mid-discount evening rates last from 5 p.m. to 10:59 p.m. Monday through Friday. Deep-discount night and weekend rates are at all other hours, including all day Saturday and Sunday.
AT&T, like GTE, also offers volume-based discount programs. by CNB