You can likely beat whatever deal you currently have, but you also have to bother with shopping around, and doing some figuring to see if your calling habits mesh with the various plans.

So what's out there and how do you get a piece of the action?

The big three: AT&T smashed the 10-cent barrier with its new 7 cents a day at all times plan. MCI and Sprint are offering 5 cents evenings/weekends, with day rates of 10 cents. You'll pay monthly fees ranging from $4 to $6, typically.

The runners up: The second-tier carriers such as Qwest (formerly LCI), IDC, GTC and others beat the big three. Deals of 5 cents all the time are out there for the asking. But you can even go lower. For example, IDC is 3.5 cents all the time if you use its Internet service at $14.95 a month. Some companies are bundling rates with wireless service too.

What's right for you? Here are the key questions to consider:

Do you mind signing up with a second tier carrier? You really have little to risk by doing so. Calls are routed over the networks of the big three, so the quality will be good. Customer service may be less than flawless, however. Very small carriers may not have 24/7 service, or you may have to wait to talk with a rep. And forget about frequent flier miles and other perks.

How much do you phone, and when? If your monthly long distance bills are in the single digits, switching to save a few cents a minute may not be worth the trouble. And the monthly fees with the new plans may mean you'll actually spend more. If you are in this category, consider dumping your long distance carrier altogether. All you have to do is tell your local phone company you don't want a long distance provider. Then your long distance calls will go through a dial-around carrier (a 10-10) though you'll still be charged a dollar or so a month for accessing long distance. For people of few long distance words, the savings can amount to around $50 a year. (Make sure to do the math before you switch. The 10-10s charge rates of 10 cents a minute and less, depending on the length of the call.)

If you spend more than a few dollars but under $25, you'd be wise to steer clear of plans that charge a fee of $5 or more a month. But you should still get a no-fee discount plan. Consider AT&T's One Rate Online (you pay by credit card and statements are on the Web) at 10 cent per minute all the time with no monthly fee. The AT&T One Rate plan is 15 cents a minute all the time. But if you gab most on nights and weekends, consider MCI One Savings (25 cents a minute weekdays, 10 cents weeknights and Saturdays, 5 cents Sundays).

Anyone who racks up a bill of $25 or more is a candidate for one of the new plans. If you don't want to switch, ask your carrier to match one of the other plans. Chances are they will rather than lose a customer. And if you don't know who your long distance provider is anymore call 1-700-555-1212 from your home phone to find out.

Local and regional calling: Now that your long distance company and your baby bell can supply regional calls, make sure to shop for this service as well. Many carriers extend their regular long distance rates to these calls, but be sure to ask.

International calls. Here's where the spread can get wide, depending on which country you call the most. Many carriers also charge a monthly fee for international calls, but they are willing to match offers from other carriers as well. One wild card in this business is Net2phone, which charges rates approaching domestic long distance for all types of international calls. Net2Phone calls are placed on the Internet, which means the quality may not be quite as good as conventional lines.

Can't decide what to do? Help is available on the web. To compare long distancecalls prices and plans log onto www.callcompare.com. For cellular, try www.point.com.