Low-income customers to get lower phone rates

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997 | 11:11 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Public Utilities Commission has approved reduced telephone rates for low-income families served by eight companies including Sprint/Central Telephone-Nevada in Las Vegas.

"This is significant because in the past many low-income customers had to do without phone service simply because they couldn't afford it," Commissioner Tim Hay said Tuesday. "Now many more customers will be able to receive the basic phone services they need ..."

Starting Jan. 1, these companies will add or expand discounts offered through two programs known as Lifeline and Linkup.

In Southern Nevada, qualifying Sprint customers in Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City and Blue Diamond will receive a reduction of $6.36 per month. In Jean, Searchlight, Laughlin, Mt. Charleston and Nelson, the reduction will be a monthly $5.25.

To qualify, a person must be a recipient of one of the following programs: welfare, food stamps, home energy assistance, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income or federal public housing assistance.

The new rules also protect Lifeline customers from losing their local service for non-payment of toll charges and no deposit will be required if the customer elects to have long-distance toll calling blocked.

Moapa Valley Telephone which serves Glendale, Lake Mead, Overton and Upper Valley will give low-income customers a $6.75 monthly discount. In addition service will not be disconnected if the customer agrees to accept blocking of long-distance toll calls. And no deposit will be required if toll blocking is accepted.

Other companies who will provide the lowered rate beginning Jan. 1 are: Nevada Bell, which serves most of northern Nevada, where customers can receive a $4 discount and up to a $30 cut in hook-up fees; Beehive, which serves West Wendover, where customers will receive a discount of $5.25 per month plus a 50 percent discount in connection fees; and Citizens Telecom of Nevada, which serves Elko and surrounding areas and Tonopah. That discount will be $5.25 per month.

The discount for customers of GTE, which serves the Douglas County area, will be $8.10 per month. The new rate will be $8.10 for customers of Humboldt Telephone Company in Humboldt County, and $5.75 for customers of Lincoln County Telephone System.

There will be $5.25 discounts available for qualifying customers of Rio Virgin Telephone Company in Mesquite and Rural Telephone Company in Tuscarora and Jarbidge, as well.