The number of students using the long-distance services provided in the residence halls is down, which may be due to the fact that 77 percent of incoming University students brought cell phones with them to Ann Arbor, according to a University report.
LSA freshman Cheryl Anderson said she prefers to use her cell phone instead of the phone in her room.
“The national calling plan I have makes calls really cheap. Plus, it”s so much more convenient to talk on the move,” she said.
Other residents agree, feeling that a wireless plan is cheaper and less complicated.
“I don”t have a cell phone so I call my parents, say hi, and hang up. They call me right back because they have cheaper long distance rates,” said one student.
While these rates exclude an additional monthly charge that many other providers require, rates can change at anytime during the course of the school year, without notice.
Andrew Palms, University Information and Technology Communications Services director of marketing and product development, said the University subscribes to a non-profit organization called MiCTA, which is responsible for getting bids from long distance carriers not only on the behalf of the University but for other schools and some government bodies.
“The University of Michigan doesn”t play games with its long distance service. Any revenue made from the phone service gets put back into the communication system to improve it,” Palms said.
Some students use calling cards, which offer rates as low as 2.5 cents a minute. Palms said the University has noticed an increasing number of 800 numbers in the records.
One option not available for residents to use in making long distance calls is 10-10 numbers. These services don”t work at all at the University. Instead of billing the student, the University is billed because it is the primary customer of the service.
“The only reason why I have a calling card is because it”s cheaper than the University”s rates. Why should I have to pay more,” said LSA student Alison Gillete.
The University Housing website explains that for those residents wishing to use a long distance provider other than Ameritech, they should contact their carrier for information on how to access their network and rates.
Ameritech charges University students 9 cents for daytime domestic calls made between 7 a.m. and 6:59 p.m., while an evening domestic call, made between 7 p.m. and 6:59 a.m., is 6 cents a minute. The weekends, defined from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 11:59 p.m. Sundays, are also billed at 6 cents a minute. Students also receive special holiday rates.