Even though phone companies are offering special long-distance rates to entice customers, the Iowa State telecommunications office plans to stay with one constant rate throughout the year.

The telecommunications office provides students with the long-distance rate of 10 cents per minute at any time of day, said Director of Telecommunications John Kingland.

“The university plan compares very favorably with those in the marketplace,” Kingland said.

AT&T currently offers a one-rate plan of 7 cents per minute on state-to-state calls 24 hours everyday, with a monthly fee of $4.95 and varying rates on all other calls.

MCI’s 5 cents everyday long-distance plan gives customers 5 cents per minute on evenings and weekends, with an additional monthly fee of $1.95 and monthly minimum of $5. Calls at other times are 25 cents per minute.

Kingland said the telecommunications office usually sets the long-distance rate at the beginning of the year.

“We look at the cost we have to pay for long distance and our cost of distributing and processing the calls on campus,” he said.

Kingland said the long-distance rate usually doesn’t change more than once a year, but it can be changed if an Iowa Communications Network rate change comes mid-year.

Long-distance rates for students who live in ISU’s residence halls are processed through ICN, Kingland said. All regent schools are required by law to use ICN, he said.

“Even if a commercial vendor has a lower rate, we can’t switch,” he said.

Kingland said that although the university offers a constant rate, some students might prefer a different calling plan.

“Someone could find a plan that better matches their calling patterns,” he said.

However, he said other plans might require a monthly fee or a minimum cost per call.

Chris Bloomquist, senior in computer engineering, moved from the dorms to an apartment this year. He said long distance in the dorms is much easier and cheaper than in his apartment.

“In the dorms it was so easy because you could punch in your number,” he said. “I just paid my U-bill, which was a lot cheaper.”

Bloomquist and his roommates use calling cards for long distance. He said the cost of the deposit to have a long-distance plan was too much of a hassle.

“There’s definitely a convenience and affordability factor,” he said. “They both go way down off campus.”

Jared Baldner, junior in horticulture, also moved off campus this semester. He said he prefers the long-distance plan used in the dorms.

“I’m sure it’s going to be more expensive because I have to pay for local calls, which you don’t have to do in the dorms,” he said.

Jodie Jutting, transfer student from University of Northern Iowa, thinks the long-distance rate in the ISU dorms is very reasonable.

Jutting, freshman in liberal arts and sciences, said the rate at UNI was 12 cents per minute in the evenings and 22 cents during the day.

“It was bad because you had to wait until 7 p.m. to call people,” she said. “That’s why I was excited about the rate when I came here.”