Press Release

    Harrisburg, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved a petition filed by The United Telephone Company of Pennsylvania, Carlisle, to poll customers in eight of its exchanges to determine if they want toll-free service to local United, Bell and GTE exchanges.

    The following exchanges will be polled for extended area service (EAS):

- Clearville’s 979 access lines will be polled for toll-free service to Bedford. Adding the Bedford exchange would place customers in a higher rate band, increasing the monthly residential bill for flat rate service 52 cents, from $8.19 to $8.71. Clearville’s calling area would increase from 4,553 to 11,879 toll-free numbers.

- Evans City’s 3,684 access lines will be polled for service to Butler. Adding the Butler exchange would place customers in a higher rate band, increasing the monthly residential bill for flat rate service $1.57, from $9.33 to $10.90. Evans City’s calling area would increase from 28,510 to 58,807 toll-free numbers.

- Hyndman’s 1,222 access lines will be polled for service to Bedford. Adding Bedford would increase the monthly bill for flat rate service $1.57, from $7.76 to $9.33. Hyndman’s calling area would increase from 1,766 to 9,092 toll-free numbers.

- Loysville’s 2,223 access lines will be polled for service to Carlisle. Adding Carlisle would increase the monthly bill for flat rate service $1.87, from $8.19 to $10.05. Loysville’s calling area would increase from 7,874 to 38,357 toll-free numbers.

- Plain Grove’s 691 access lines will be polled for toll-free service to Bell Atlantic-Pennsylvania’s Grove City exchange. Adding Grove City would increase the monthly bill for flat rate service 85 cents, from $10.05 to $10.90. Plain Grove’s calling area would increase from 65,294 to 70,993 toll-free numbers.

- Richfield’s 1,027 access lines will be polled for service to GTE North’s Mt. Pleasant Mills exchange. Adding Mt. Pleasant Mills would increase the monthly residential bill for flat rate service 43 cents, from $7.76 to $8.19. Richfield’s calling area would increase from 2,827 to 4,195 toll-free numbers.

- Three Springs’ 1,981 access lines will be polled for service to Bell Atlantic-Pennsylvania’s Huntingdon exchange. Adding Huntingdon would increase the monthly bill for flat rate service $1.57, from $7.76 to $9.33. Three Spring’s calling area would increase from 4,017 to 11,904 toll-free numbers.

- Waynesboro’s 13,582 access lines will be polled for service to Chambersburg. Adding Chambersburg would increase the monthly fill for flat rate service $1.57, from $9.33 to $10.90.

    Waynesboro’s calling area would increase from 24,413 to 49,773.

    The PUC’s EAS regulations require telephone companies to conduct a subscriber poll of the calling exchange of an intraLATA route when the average monthly calling frequency is equal to or greater than 5.5 calls per access line per month, and at least 50% of the access lines make one or more calls per month to the receiving exchange. For interLATA routes, a subscriber poll of the calling exchange is required when the average monthly calling frequency is equal to or greater than 5.5 calls per access line per month.

    If a majority of the customers returning ballot forms favor extended area service, United Telephone will implement it within four months upon PUC notification of a successful polling of a specific route.

    For recent news releases, or more information about the PUC, visit our Internet home page: http://puc.paonline.com.