AT&T, MCI, WORLDCOM, FRONTIER, EXCEL- IS THERE REALLY A DIFFERENCE?
Quite simply, for the vast majority of clients there isn’t a difference. These days there’s little difference in quality among the major vendors (AT&T, MCI, Sprint). Low price is a good criterion (not the only) for choosing a long distance carrier. Due to the incestuous relationship between carriers, it isn’t unusual to have your call travel through several competitors lines before landing at its destination. The call leaves your business on copper wire via your local Bell company, is transferred to the fiber optic network of your carrier, frequently is transferred over a leased line from a competing carrier, and finally sent back to copper wire at the local Bell company of the destination. Many non-AT&T calls do travel, at one point, over the AT&T network or over lines used by AT&T, because it is so extensive and they are so large. With the major companies there definitely is financial stability and name recognition, which you pay for in a higher cost per minute cost.
