文章基本信息

标题：Rossville residents now can call Topeka without long-distance
作者：Christie Appelhanz Capital-Journal
期刊名称：The Topeka Capital-Journal
印刷版ISSN：1067-1994
出版年度：2000
卷号：Feb 24, 2000
出版社：Morris Multimedia, Inc.

Rossville residents now can call Topeka without long-distance

Christie Appelhanz Capital-Journal

By CHRISTIE APPELHANZ

The Capital-Journal

ROSSVILLE --- After battling Sprint for years, Rossville residents learned Wednesday they would no longer be the only community in Shawnee County that pays long-distance charges for calls to Topeka.

"If you want to be on a high, this is it," said Rossville City Councilwoman Susan Foresman, who has lobbied for the change for nearly three years. "People won't put up with petty politics."

Under terms of an agreement reached by Southwestern Bell, Sprint and the Kansas Corporation Commission, Rossville residents will see their monthly phone bills increase $2.53 beginning April 1 in exchange for unlimited calling to Topeka. That will replace special calling plans costing $25 or more a month.

A letter mailed to Rossville telephone customers from Sprint said, "It doesn't take too many long-distance calls to Topeka, even without a special calling plan, before you realize what kind of savings this expanded calling may mean to you."

Sprint spokeswoman Carolyn Gaston said the decision was a mutual agreement between Bell, the KCC and Sprint.

Rossville merchants said the change will ease the burden of doing business in the community.

Doug Perine, owner of Doug's Healthmart Pharmacy in Rossville, complained in the past that some doctors in Topeka wouldn't phone prescription to his store because it was a long-distance call. And Wehner's Thriftway manager Cindy Wehner said it helps because she calls suppliers in Topeka several times a day.

Foresman said efforts were helped by Sen. Marge Petty, D-Topeka, who met last spring with representatives of the telephone companies, KCC and the Citizens Utility Rate Board.

"Residents of Silver Lake have benefitted from this service for some time," Petty said. "It made sense that the citizens of Rossville should have similar treatment."

KCC spokeswoman Rosemary Foreman said the decision was included in an order reducing the size of the Kansas Universal Service Fund to $63 million from $100 million. The fund helps provide basic telephone service at comparable rates in rural and urban areas.