Be Careful What You Ask For . .

If an operator asks you which long distance company or operator service provider you would like to use, be careful what you ask for because you just might get exactly that. Consumers Union asked the Texas Public Utility Commission for the list of companies serving the Texas market (current as of January 8, 1998), and we found one company out of Kennedale Texas which has registered under the following names:

But this isn't the only company registering operator service and interexchange company names that might trip up an unwary consumer. Don't ask for "the operator" unless you really want to use The Operator out of Waxahachie, Tx. or the "general operator" unless you want to use General Operators out of Glenn Heights, Tx., and certainly don't ask for the "direct operator" unless you want Direct Operators out of Canton, MI.

If you ask for "long distance assistance," you might get Long Distance Assistance out of Plano, Tx., and asking for a "public operator" might get you transferred to "Public Operators" out of Duncanville, Tx.

So before you pick up the phone, think about who you really want to provide your long distance or operator services, and ask for them by name.