AT&T GOING TO DIRECT BILLING, EXPANDING HOURS

AT&T will begin billing Virgin Islands residential customers directly for long-distance telephone calls in March.
Currently those customers' long-distance charges appear on their Vitelco bill. Under the new system, they will receive a separate long-distance bill directly from AT&T, with payment to be made directly to AT&T.
The AT&T bill will consolidate residential long-distance charges with any AT&T calling card charges incurred by the customer and also will include information on special offers and opportunities. At the same time, the volume of paper in billings will be reduced because the pages will be printed on both sides.
Subscribers' AT&T calling plans will be transferred automatically to the new billing system, according to a release issued Thursday. Customers will see no change in their AT&T long-distance services.
Also in March, AT&T will expand its over-the-phone customer assistance hours into the evening so that callers can get answers to service and billing questions from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Courtney Wynter, AT&T Virgin Islands general manager, said, "AT&T direct billing means clear and accurate billing and the quality of service you expect from AT&T."
He added, "To demonstrate our commitment to customer service, we're also making it more convenient for customers to call us with any questions by extending our customer service hours."
AT&T initially is offering customers two ways to pay their new bills:
– By mail (check or money order) using the self-addressed envelope enclosed with the bill.
– In person between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the AT&T offices – on St. Thomas at the Calling Center in Estate Havensight, and on St. Croix at the Sion Farm Shopping Center. Meantime, the company is exploring additional payment options, according to a spokesperson.
Customers with questions about the billing change can call the local AT&T Customer Care office – on St. Thomas at 777-TRUE (777-8783), and on St. Croix at 778-1903.
Last year AT&T ranked No. 1 in residential long-distance customer service among high-volume customers according to the findings of a survey by the marketing research firm J.D. Power and Associates.
J.D. Power telecommunications director Kirk Parsons said, "One of AT&T's strengths has always been its ability to consistently perform well across all dimensions that impact customer satisfaction." The 2000 study findings indicate that "the company has clearly found a way to continue that trend," he said. "This is especially important in a very competitive market where overall customer satisfaction has continued to decline."