Speaking Up To Keep Phone Costs Dow (NAPSA)—Voicing your opinion could help keep phone costs down. That’s the word from consumer \ . L, ‘i 4 i: ‘ groups that say decisions in Wash- . joom eal + , ington, D.C. could affect the price of a phonecall or the cost of surfing the Web for millions of peo- ple—but Americans are speaking up. Here’s a closer look at the issue and how you can get involved: Controlling Costs If you think of a telecommuni- cations company, chances are you're picturing a multimillion- dollar corporate giant. But mil- lions of Americans actually receive their telecommunications ser- vices—wireless, Web, phone and cable or satellite—from small busi- nesses with about 15 employees. As Washington considers pass- ing new regulations on telecom- munications companies, experts say the rules could force smaller companies to spend millions installing new systems and training personnel on new procedures. That cost would likely be passed atte we HT Ty There are ways people can help keep the cost of phone service down. menting similar regulations in the past led to higher consumer costs and disruption in rural service, as well as extreme cus- tomer dissatisfaction. For instance, customers, who for years had paid their bills in person, were suddenly told they had to show photo ID when conducting transactions. Smart Solutions The Communications Act man- Focusing On Service dates the use of the Regulatory Flexibility Act by regulators as a meansof ensuring fair treatment of resources will likely cripple— gress should also use the act as a on to the consumers. “Forcing new regulations on small businesses with limited rather than enhance—the consumer protections sought by pol- icy-makers,” says Michael E. Brunner from the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA). Indeed, Brunnersays that small rural telcos already have consumer safeguards in place—and that many rural customers opt for a local provider specifically because of those safeguards and service policies. Brunner adds that imple- small businesses and their consumers. Brunner’s group says Con- guideline for future legislation. “Telecom policies should be flexible, since the industry is made of large, midsize and small carriers,” says Brunner. “Protecting consumers’ privacy and wal- lets is important. And that’s why we can’t rely on a one-size-fits-all solution.” Voicing An Opinion For more information or to learn how to contact legislators about this issue, visit www. ntca.org.
