AT&T LAUNCHES NATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM TO INTRODUCE NEW 888 TOLL-FREE PREFIX.BASKING RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 16, 1995--AT&T today announced a nationwide program to educate consumers and businesses about the new 1-888 toll-free prefix The beginning or to add to the beginning. To prefix a header onto a packet means to place the header characters in front of the packet. "To prefix" at the beginning is the opposite of "to append" characters at the end. See prepend. 1. scheduled for introduction early next year. The new 1-888 prefix will supplement the current toll-free 1-800 system that has become so popular there are no longer enough numbers to satisfy all new requests. The education program is in response to an AT&T-funded Roper Starch starch, white, odorless, tasteless, carbohydrate powder. It plays a vital role in the biochemistry of both plants and animals and has important commercial uses. Worldwide survey which found that 99 percent of those surveyed had not heard of the new toll-free prefix. Once they understood that 1-888 would be toll-free, 73 percent said they would be more comfortable using the new exchange. However, fifty-seven Adj. 1. fifty-seven - being seven more than fifty 57, lvii cardinal - being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order; "cardinal numbers" percent of respondents In the context of marketing research, a representative sample drawn from a larger population of people from whom information is collected and used to develop or confirm marketing strategy. thought there would be some confusion about the transition to the two-prefix toll-free system. "1-800 has been a tremendous success story and with the addition of 1-888 we expect this momentum to continue," said Ken Sichau, AT&T vice president of marketing. "As the creator of 800 service, we plan to take the lead and use this education campaign to help make the addition of a new toll-free prefix seamless to both businesses and consumers." Demonstrating AT&T's commitment to the new prefix, Sichau went on to say that the education campaign would also be used to assure customers that AT&T's price and reliability guarantees would apply to the new toll-free 888 numbers just as they have applied to 800 numbers. The Education: Toll Free=800 and 888 AT&T's education program, set to begin next month with a comprehensive news media campaign, will be targeted to consumers throughout the top 35 U.S. markets. Designed to educate as well as celebrate the introduction of the new prefix, the program will stress the following messages: o Toll free numbers may start with 1-888. o 800 numbers are not going away. o 888 and 800 numbers are not interchangeable in·ter·change·a·ble adj. That can be interchanged: interchangeable items of clothing; interchangeable automotive parts. in ; calling an 888 number will not permit you to reach the same number with an 800 prefix. o The 888 toll-free prefix is new, not better or worse. It is not related to business status or performance. o Consumers can still obtain listings for all toll-free telephone numbers through AT&T's Toll-Free Directory Assistance by calling 1-800-555-1212. National News Media Tour A national news media tour will kick off in Mid-September when two consumer experts do television, radio and print interviews in the top 20 markets nationwide. A second tour, targeted to other major markets, will work with print and radio outlets in each of those markets to deliver the same messages. Celebrating the Start of 888: AT&T Toll Free Day AT&T will inaugurate in·au·gu·rate tr.v. in·au·gu·rat·ed, in·au·gu·rat·ing, in·au·gu·rates 1. To induct into office by a formal ceremony. 2. the start of 1-888 service by celebrating "AT&T Toll Free Day" shortly after the service is available. To promote the new numbering plan A numbering plan is a type of numbering scheme used in telecommunications. This is a set of rules used for making numbers. For example, most telephone numbers belong to the E.164 numbering plan, though that won't include internal extensions in some PABXs. The E. , AT&T will provide free bridge, tunnel and road tolls in high traffic areas in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden and Chicago. Banners, handouts, and radio advertising will reinforce with the "888 toll-free" message. The Really Big Contest To reinforce awareness of the new 888 prefix, and to encourage people to become accustomed to dialing 888, AT&T will conduct a week-long call-in contest to guess how many toll-free 888 numbers were called in the first month. Eighty hundred eighty-eight winners who come closest to the exact number will win $888 in prizes. Today's Telephone Press Conference Sichau will conduct an interactive briefing on the education campaign today at noon (EDT EDT abbr. Eastern Daylight Time EDT Eastern Daylight Time EDT n abbr (US) (= Eastern Daylight Time) → hora de verano de Nueva York EDT ). Reporters may call in by dialing 1-800-260-0718. A recorded version of the conference will be replayed for 24 hours Adv. 1. for 24 hours - without stopping; "she worked around the clock" around the clock, round the clock and can be heard by dialing 1-800-475-6701, with access code 601747. A DIGITAL COLOR GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATING THE RECENT RAPID GROWTH IN 800 NUMBER CONSUMPTION IS AVAILABLE BY CALLING THE WIECK PHOTO DATABASE AT 214/392-0888. CONTACT: Mona Williams, 908/221-4355 (office) 908/647-8191 (home) or Karen Way, 908/221-6632 (office) 908/545-0225 (home) |
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