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Article: Phone bills to rise after PUC ruling: Business owners face immediate price hikes; residential customers granted two-year rate freeze.
- Article from:
- Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA)
- Article date:
- August 25, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Contra Costa Times. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Rick Jurgens
Aug. 25--AT&T and three other providers of local telephone service now can raise prices without convincing regulators that their costs have increased, the California Public Utilities Commission ruled unanimously Thursday. Business customers face immediate hikes, with phone companies required to give only a 30-day notice. Residential customers will get a respite, in the form of a two-year rate freeze for basic service, but after that will also be subject to price increases. Residential customers could face immediate hikes in the price of caller ID, 900 call blocking and unlisted numbers. Existing price caps are no longer necessary in ...