AT&T seeks to offer local phone service in Kansas

Business Wire, Feb 29, 1996

TOPEKA, Kansas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 29, 1996--AT&T announced today that it has requested authority from the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to begin offering local phone service in the state.

"This is an important event for Kansas customers," said Rian Wren, AT&T vice president - local services. "Now, for the first time, customers will have a true choice for their telecommunications services, including local, in-state long distance, interstate long distance and international calling services.

"By opening the state to real competition," Wren continued, "customers will see lower prices, innovation and higher quality service. The result will be to further enhance Kansas' competitiveness in attracting and retaining business."

Wren pointed out that both residential and business customers want the opportunity to be able to choose their providers for their telecommunications needs. Until now, however, customers have not been able to select AT&T to furnish their local service. If given a choice, Wren said he believed that many residential and business customers would choose AT&T to meet their local service needs.

"Customers want to be able to select one company that can provide a full spectrum of related services, such as local, long distance, access to the Internet, entertainment, and wireless communications," Wren said.

Wren said AT&T will continue to work with the KCC and the local telephone companies to resolve several key issues it believes are essential to creating fair local competition in the state. The issues include details such as wholesale prices for Southwestern Bell's and GTE's basic local service.

"If the KCC successfully resolves the remaining conditions to ensure fair and open competition, AT&T intends to bring real choice, value and innovation, not to mention lower prices, to the local phone market in Kansas," said Wren.

"We hope to provide local phone service in Kansas as soon as possible," he added, "and will work in good faith with local telephone companies such as Southwestern Bell and United to develop acceptable business arrangements to accomplish that goal.

"When this is accomplished," said Wren, "Kansas consumers will have a choice when it comes to selecting a company to provide local phone service to their homes and businesses just as they do for long distance today."

AT&T also filed requests today for entry into the local service markets with the regulatory commissions in Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, states served by Southwestern Bell.

AT&T is the world's networking leader, providing communications services to business and residential customers, telecommunications services providers and government agencies. AT&T's Worldwide Intelligent Network carries some 200 million voice, data, video and facsimile messages every business day.

CONTACT: AT&T

Jim Van Orden, 214/778-4936,

Pager: 1-800-566-0742

or

Larry Norwood, 512/370-3007

Pager: 1-800-393-2574