Date: Tue, 08 Sep 92 23:12:15 EDT
From: Rob Woiccak <REWOICC@ERENJ.BITNET>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Working Assets Long Distance
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 698, Message 1 of 12

I received a mailing from Working Assets the other day advertising
their services. It's a pretty slick-looking advertisment too, offering
you a free pint of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream as well as 30 free
minutes of calls once and free calls to select business and political
leaders once a month.
 
They advertise their long distance rates as "guaranteed to be lower
than AT&T, MCI and Sprint." (though one wonders in lieu of the earlier
post that someone made regarding the huge initial phone bill). There
is a men- tion of up to 15% off on volume discounts and a 20% discount
on calls to other Working Assets subscribers.
 
Services include:
 
- 100% fiber-optic sound
- Convienent "dial 1" calling
- Low, competitive rates
- Volume discounts
- 24-hour operators
- Free calling cards
- Direct international dialing
- Friendly customer service
 
The Guarantee: "If you're not completely satisfied with Working Assets
Long Distance after three full months of service, we'll pay to switch
you back to your original carrier."
 
The Catch: "By signing this coupon, I authorize Working Assets Long
Distance to be my primary long distance carrier. I understand that my
local phone company may apply a small, one-time fee and that to help
offset this cost, (whether or not it is applied), Working Assets will
give me a credit equal to 30 minutes of free interstate calling. The
credit will be at the 3,000 mile night/weekend rate and will be issued
after my third full month of service. Offers void where prohibited.
Guarantee offer valid for one year from start of service. Free Speech
Day calls limited to four three-minute calls per month. Rate
comparisons effective 8/1/92 and subject to change."
 
On the surface, it doesn't *look* like a bad deal and the idea of
having 1% of your phone bill going to a good cause (they contribute to
Planned Parenthood, Greenpeace, Rainforest Action Network, Oxfam
America, Amnesty Inter- national, National Coalition for the Homeless,
and Fund for a Free South Africa among others) is a nice one. I do
wonder how much the rates are raised to defray the operating costs
after the contributions are made. I'd be interested in hearing from
any other subcribers as well.
 
Environmentalists will be happy to know that WALD says they use 100%
recycled paper and soy-based inks (when possible) for their bills and
that they plant 17 trees for every ton of paper used.


Rob Woiccak - rewoicc@erenj.bitnet - Exxon Engineering - Disclaim! Datclaim!


[Moderator's Note: I got a mailing from them today with the same
information you mention above. My only complaint is there are a couple
of organizations they support which I would never under any conditions
want to receive my money (since I disagree with their stated goals and
principles); otherwise I might give them one of my lines just to see
how good they are. Now if they allowed one to choose from a list of
several organizations, and check off those one wished to support, that
would be different. Its the same reason I give direct to organizations
of my choice rather than through United Way.  PAT]