There is one other instance that I know of where an operator can assist your call without you knowing about it. I have been told it happens when your long distance carrier fails and the local carrier picks the call up and puts it through! What should happen is, if the long distance fails (for any reason), the customer should get a recording saying that the call can’t be completed as dialed, and telling the customer to contact the long distance carrier. This way the long distance carrier knows that the long distance failed and can fix the problem. When this happens and someone other then your long distance carrier puts the call through, you will see that call on your local bill as an operator assisted call. This call would be at your local phone company’s rate, not our N.I.C.E. long distance rate. This can be very frustrating because of the difference in price and the fact that it shouldn’t happen. If this happens to you, contact the local phone company and explain that you want the call to be rated back to what it would have been through your long distance carrier because you never authorized the call to go through their company. Most companies are pretty good about re-rating the call. These are just a few things people should know.

As you know N.I.C.E. long distance rates are still 7.9 cents a minute if you are calling out of the state and 8.9 cents a minute if you are calling within the state. There are no hidden costs, no monthly fee. If you don’t make any calls you will not get a bill. North Itasca Cooperative Enterprises (N.I.C.E.) strives to do our best to offer the best product for the best price for all our customers and friends.

If you haven’t yet signed on give us a try I promise you will not be sorry you did! Remember you do not have to be a member of the Co-op to sign up, and you don’t have to live in MN -- we have customers all over.