You asked how your constituent could lower his charge for residential telephone service. The constituent is an SBC customer with flat rate service.

The residential flat rate service costs $ 10. 53 to $ 14. 53 per month for unlimited local service, depending on the size of the calling area. In addition to this charge, customers pay a federal subscriber line charge and may choose to pay for inside wire service.

If the constituent makes relatively few out-going local calls, he may save money by switching to SBC’s per call rate. The monthly charge for this service is $ 7. 45 per month plus a charge for out going local calls. Local outgoing calls are $ . 035 per minute for calls made Monday through Friday 8 a. m. to 8 p. m. and $ . 025 per minute for calls made during all other times.

The constituent may also be eligible for less expensive “lifeline” service. The regular lifeline service provides a discount of $ 9. 28 on the total monthly bill for people who participate in the ConnPACE, food stamp, Supplemental Security Income, or certain other programs. An SBC Webpage https: //www04. sbc. com/NewConnect/FNT/1,,0-0-7-3-0,00. html?pageid=1 provides further information about the service.

Finally, the constituent may want to consider choosing a competitive telephone company. Currently about a dozen companies offer local service in competition with SBC. A Department of Public Utility Control Webpage, http: //www. dpuc. state. ct. us/DPUCRevisedTariffs. nsf/e161dc2bfd0febce85256b27005b523b?OpenView&Start=1&Count=30&Expand=27#27, has tariffs and service descriptions for these companies.

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