Tuesday, April 30, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
Sprint may not carry the county's cellular phone contract much longer.
As cellular phone use and costs are expected to increase next year, county officials have conducted a survey to find out which titan cellular company gives the best service for the money -- AT&T or Sprint 360.
Some early conclusions drawn from the survey show neither company has an edge, Information Systems Director Steve Chapin said.
"There is no discernible difference between the two," Chapin said. As a result, he's going to recommend the County Commission invite bids on next year's cellular phone contract.
"We thought at one point we could use the results of the survey to weigh their bids," Chapin said. "But that's not going to happen now."
If cost is negligible, quality of service might make a difference.
Assistant County Manager Jim Ley, whose phone bills average about $237 per month, volunteered to be part of the survey, he said, "because I'm the guy who complained the most."
County officials have complained loud and strong for years that Sprint's service is not up to par, forcing the company to give a 20 percent rebate last October and a 30 percent rebate last December.
"My argument was they were overbilling the county based on the service we were getting," Ley said. "Now, the entire phone service is in discussion."
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