BellSouth applies to raise rates for 56 cities

NASHVILLE (AP) — BellSouth is seeking to reclassify rate groups for residents of 56 growing cities in Tennessee, a move that would raise bills for local service about 8 percent, according to filings with the Tennessee Regulatory Agency.

The larger the town, the larger the rate group and the higher the charge for basic phone services. Moving into a larger rate group also would allow residents to reach more lines in their basic service area without paying higher fees, telephone officials said.

The proposed service reorganization recognizes population and household growth across Tennessee, said Sybil McLain, a spokeswoman for BellSouth.

But consumer advocates in the state attorney general’s office said the proposed reclassifications violate a state law that ties rate increases for basic telephone service to the national inflation rate. This year, consumer advocates said the formula would limit a rate increase to a 1.6 percent.

On Monday, the Tennessee Regulatory Authority agreed to consider the proposed reclassification and allow BellSouth and consumer advocates to present their cases.

If the petition is approved by the TRA, cities as large as Knoxville and Chattanooga and as small as Oliver Springs, Grand Junction and Wartrace would see rate increases.

Cities where BellSouth is seeking to reclassify services
By The Associated Press
A petition filed to the Tennessee Regulatory Agency by BellSouth seeks to reclassify services and raise rates in these 56 cities:

— Athens

— Bethel Springs

— Bolivar

— Chattanooga

— Columbia

— Copper Basin

— Culleoka

— Dyer

— Elkton

— Etowah

— Flintville

— Fayetteville

— Gibson

— Grand Junction

— Gleason

— Greenback

— Greenfield

— Hampshire

— Hornbeak

— Humboldt

— Huntland

— Knoxville

— Lewisburg

— Lexington

— Lynnville

— McKenzie

— Middleton

— Madisonville

— Manchester

— Medina

— Milan

— Mount Pleasant

— Mascot-Strawberry Plains

— Normandy

— Newport

— Oliver Springs

— Pulaski

— Petersburg

— Rogersville

— Shelbyville

— Selmer

— Sewanee

— Santa Fe

— Solway

— Spring Hill

— Surgoinsville

— Savannah

— Sweetwater

— Tullahoma

— Troy

— Trenton

— Union City

— Whiteville

— Williamsport

— Winchester

— Wartrace

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On the Net:

The BellSouth filing with the TRA: http://www.state.tn.us/tra/orders/2004/0400015.pdf

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