ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 27, 1992                   TAG: 9203270216
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

LONG-DISTANCE PHONE RATES GOING UP

Interstate long-distance telephone rates have started going up for the first time since the breakup of AT&T, according to an annual survey released Thursday.

Consumer Action, a San Francisco-based group, found that all three major long-distance carriers - AT&T, MCI and Sprint - increased rates for interstate calls in the past year.

The group said long-distance rate increases have been relatively small and follow a 40 percent drop in rates from 1985 to 1991.

Nevertheless, the organization pointed out that 12 interstate calls placed through AT&T during January totaled $20.50, up 0.44 percent from the same time in 1991; for MCI, $19.87, up 1.22 percent; and for Sprint, $20.33, up 3.94 percent. - Associated Press 


 by CNB