LV Sprint customers can pay bills online

Tuesday, April 4, 2000 | 11:37 a.m.

line LAS VEGAS SUN

Sprint telephone customers can now pay their bills and order telecommunications products from the company's Internet site.

Customers can access and review their bills at www.sprint.com/local by typing their account numbers onto a form on the site.

Bills can be paid electronically with a direct withdrawal from a bank account through a company called CheckFree. Payments either can be set up automatically or can be managed by customers each month. Sprint plans to enhance the site to allow credit card payments.

Sprint spokeswoman Detra Page said as of late February, the company had 495 active accounts and the website receives 2,500 hits per week on average. The free online payment service had a soft launch in February and Page said the company expects it to grow as more people become familiar with online services.

Information about the service will be inserted in Sprint bills this month.

To encourage customers to try the site, the company is offering a 100-minute prepaid phone card with any product order through May 15.

The site also offers information on other Sprint services, including local calling products and high-speed Internet access.

Page said initially paper billings will continue to be mailed to customers who order online bill payments, but eventually the process will be entirely electronic.