offer cheaper long-distance rates effective today with the launch of its 2020-321 long-distance service.
North Rock will charge a flat 28 cents per minute for calls to North America and the United Kingdom at any time of day, and hopes that it will be able to lure customers who are confused by complicated plans offered by TeleBermuda International and Cable & Wireless.
NorthRock will also bill in six-second increments, meaning that the duration of customers' calls will be rounded up to the nearest six-second interval -- and not the next highest minute -- for billing purposes. Vicki Coelho, North Rock's sales and marketing manager, said the system could save customers an additional 15 to 20 percent.
The company has been engineering the system, which routes calls through the Internet, for several months and has beta tested with select customers for about a month and a half.
Logic Communications has offered Internet long distance through LogicPhone since the summer and charges 44 cents a minute for calls to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The company announced a new service earlier this week whereby customers can prepay for 250 long-distance minutes at 30 cents each and get 10 hours of Internet access free.
TeleBermuda rates begin at 29 cents a minute, but rates vary throughout the day and customers must pay a $4.99 monthly membership fee. Cable & Wireless charges as little as 25 cents a minute, but the rate is only applicable to five numbers chosen by customers and requires a $5 monthly fee.
Existing North Rock customers wishing to sign up for the service can do so online at http://www.northrock.bm. Non-North Rock customers will need to visit the company's Washington Lane offices to sign up for service.
2020-321 is the latest in a series of new products offered by North Rock. The company will introduce commercial wireless Internet service on January 28, with residential service expected in the spring. Ms Coelho said yesterday she hoped the company would ultimately use its infrastructure to compete in the local voice market with the Bermuda Telephone Company.
