GTE Offers Customers New Services Online; Triangle Company Auctions Hotel Accommodations, Travel Adventures

GTE's new consumer Web site is an interactive gateway to the company's services. It helps customersshop for services and productswith one-stop convenience.

"We've introduced a new shopping cart that allows customers to come to the site and order local, long distance and cellular service all at the same time," says GTE's Wayne Irwin.

The StoreFront allows "window shopping" for unique telephones and even packages of services, including popular cellular phones.

The site teaches users how to activate calling features, and customer service queries can also be made.

The company's research shows a growing number of people want to pay their bills online, so they added that feature as well.

Irwin says the interactive bill allows customers to go to the site, see their bill, analyze it and pay it online.

Customers can sort calls any way they want: by time of day, city called, cost or duration. A feature to be added soon will allow customers to check unfamiliar phone numbers.

All features are available around the clock, seven days a week.If you are planning a quick vacation trip and need accommodations, check outLastAvailable.com.

The Triangle-based Web site allows visitors to bid on unsold rooms at prices as much as 35 percent lower than regular rates.

LastAvailable also auctions neat adventures like balloon rides, sailing excursions and will soon offer cruise accommodations through Carnival Cruise Lines.

LastAvailable has attracted almost 5,000 members and more than 3,500 listings in the last month.

Membership is free. LastAvailable gets 10 percent of the final bid as their fee.