AT&T; is preferred for long-distance, a poll said.

Nearly three-fourths of telephone customers still trust Ma Bell over long-distance newcomers MCI and Sprint because quality was more important than cost, a Business Week poll found. The poll, which surveyed 1,255 adults, showed 72% favored American Telephone & Telegraph for their long-distance telephone service. A slim 5% said they use MCI, and 3% use Sprint. “The reason for this overwhelming preference for AT&T; may be that most Americans say quality of service and reliability are more important than cost in choosing a carrier,” the poll said.