The Illinois Consolidated Telephone Company is now offering students residing in university housing a bargain long distance rate of 10 cents per minute seven days a week for calls made within the U.S.

The reduction in prices is an attempt by the company to be more attractive to on-campus students while remaining competitive with other long distance companies, said Clay Hopkins, director of Telecommunications Information Technology Services.

Previously, students using the service were forking over 10 cents on weekends per minute, 12 cents during week day evenings and 15 cents during the week days, Hopkins said.

“The last time the rate changed was Aug. 1 of 1999,” he said. “(The new rate) makes it real simple for students. What makes it really nice is that there are no monthly fees or surcharges.”

He said the change in rates was not prompted by any decrease in usage of the long distance company’s service by students.

“I haven’t noticed a reduction (in students using the long distance service),” Hopkins said. “It appears usage is remaining constant.”

With less students living in residents halls though, there are not as many people to use the long distance service, Hopkins said.

However, he said in the last five years long distance rates have dropped tremendously in the U.S., which have kept campus rates low.

Although the company has reduced rates in past years, they have never been this low, he said.

Hopkins said the company is attempting to inform students of the rates through the mailing of flyers and posting of signs throughout the residence halls.

“We just want to make students aware of the new rates,” Hopkins said.

The new rates will be in effect until rates are revised and evaluated again, he said.

“We evaluate rates every year,” Hopkins said. “We try to do this in the summer sometime.”

Hopkins said he believes students will take advantage of the cheaper prices.

“As we have lowered rates, we’ve seen students take advantage of it,” he said.