Liberty Communications provides local service to the West Liberty and West Branch areas only. Since June 1, 1999, we also provide long distance service to these exchanges. We provide access to different long distance carriers and do billing for AT&T and our own long distance. Our bill cycle for toll calls is from the 17th to the 17th (unless the 17th falls on a weekend) and the calls are billed the following month.

Click here to see the Liberty Communications/Iowa Network Services, Inc (INS) Consumer Services Agreement containing terms and conditions for our Intrastate, Interstate and International consumer long distance type services. This agreement explains the relationship between you and Liberty Communications/INS, as well as each of our rights and responsibilities, including billing and payment. Click here to view our long distance tariff.

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has passed rules to protect you from unauthorized switching of your long distance service. Unfortunately for you, many carriers ignore these rules in their desire to add customers and market share. The FCC requires all long distance carriers to get written approval, known as a letter of agency (LOA) from the customer.

Liberty Communications has to accept LOAs from the long distance carriers to switch customers, unless you have a Preferred Interexchange Carrier (PIC) freeze on your account. The PIC freeze prevents anyone else from switching your long distance carrier. You are still able to change your carrier at any time by contacting Liberty Communications verbally or in writing. There is no charge to have the PIC freeze on your account. Simply print the form, fill it out and sign it, and then return it to our office.

Tips on Changing

Many customers are confused about long distance service and rates, and several ask for our help in finding the best deal. With a look at the industry from our local Iowa angle, here are some long distance facts and tips:

Liberty Communications cannot offer Qwest (formerly USWest) as a long distance carrier, but charges from them will appear on your bill for directory assistance and some collect calls. Why isn't Qwest a carrier choice? The FCC is currently restricting Qwest and the other Regional Bell Operating Carriers (RBOC's) from the long distance market outside of their local service areas.  

If you accept a collect call, you are also accepting charges from the carrier picked at the phone where the call originated, not the one you have selected at your home or office.

In Iowa, you may have two different long distance carriers at one time, one for your IntraLATA (inside the LATA) calls and one for your InterLATA (outside your LATA) calls. Many other states give the consumer only one long distance carrier choice. A map of the LATA is in the preliminary pages of your phone book. FCC rules require we charge customers $5 per side to change carriers, although it is common practice for long distance carriers to reimburse you for this cost. 

Long distance carriers' rates can change often. We have seen some big carriers put on a big promotional discount plan to sign up users, then within a couple of months quietly raise their prices.

Many carriers offer optional calling plans (AT&T refers to them as OCPs) which are discounts of the standard rate the carrier files with the FCC. OCPs are very common, but many are often not widely advertised and must be asked for by the customer. Enrollment in an OCP is usually done by the carrier, however, enrollment usually means your long distance calls are billed directly from the long distance carrier and not from Liberty Communications. An exception to this rule would be some AT&T calling plans which are billed through Liberty Communications.

The more you spend the more you can save. Businesses and heavy residential users often qualify for larger discounts of a carrier's standard rates. Heavy long distance users with usage in the thousands of dollars per month often can negotiate their own rates with the carrier.

If you have a question about a long distance service offering, feel free to call our office and we will provide the customer service number of the carrier you wish to contact. Please be aware however, that we cannot recommend one carrier over another due to our role in the equal access process as a local telephone company. Equal access lets the customer choose their long-distance carrier, not the local telephone company.

Choice of Carriers

Carriers are assigned a 4-digit Carrier Identification Code (CIC), which is used to route long distance traffic through that carrier's switch. For more information on a particular carrier's rates and calling plans, please call the Customer Service Number listed below. Remember to contact Liberty Communications verbally or in writing of your intent to change carriers.