Press Release

    HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) this month approved a settlement agreement with Frontier Communications that will allow customers in Shinglehouse and Millport to make local calls to Coudersport. Customers in the Genesee exchange will also be able to make local calls to Coudersport and also Ulysses.

    Currently, calls made from the exchanges to Coudersport and Ulysses are local toll calls. The settlement, approved at the PUC's Sept. 15 public meeting, will extend the local calling area without increasing local rates. The settlement was reached after customers demonstrated a community of interest in calling Coudersport and Ulysses.

    Telephone companies are required to regularly measure the amount of telephone traffic between exchanges. If the number of calls reaches a certain amount, the phone company must poll customers to see if they want their local calling area extended. In most cases, basic telephone rates increase to cover the cost of extending the local service territory. Telephone companies are required to conduct customer polls of phones when the average number of calls made per line from one exchange to another equals or exceeds 5.5 per month. Also, at least 50 percent of the lines must have been used to make one or more calls per month to the receiving exchange.

    The PUC will tabulate the results of the customer poll. A majority of the ballots must be returned for the poll to be valid. If a majority of the customers returning ballots favor extended the local calling area, the companies will implement it within four months after being notified by the PUC.

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