Goodrich – Within a few months, Goodrich residents calling Davison or Ortoaznville might not incur long-distance charges.
CenturyTel, the phone service provider for the Goodrich Area, will soon apply to the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for approval of an Adjacent Exchange Calling Plan.
?(Goodrich) can call now to Flint and Grand Blanc,? said Teresa Mielisky, spokesperson for CenturyTel.
‘If the plan is approved, customers in Goodrich will be able to call Davison, Ortonville, Hadley, and Holly,? Mielisky said.
Adjacent Exchange Calling Plans became mandatory for large phone service providers like SBC and Verizon when the Michigan Communications Act was amended approximately three years ago.
‘We’d get calls and letters from customers saying ‘that’s not fair’my neighbor in the next town can call me but I can’t call them,? said Mielisky.
In November, CenturyTel sent letters to municipalities asking for a resolution supporting the plan before it filed with the MPSC. The Village of Goodrich approved the resolution at its Dec. 15 meeting.
Customer feedback is welcome, and can be directed to Vickie Norris, government affairs director, CenturyTel, 17 South High St., Ste. 600, Columbus, Ohio, 43215.
Although the proposed plan will add an estimated $5.50 per month to every customer’s bill, Mielisky anticipates it will save callers money, and may expand customers? choices in backup Internet dial-up numbers.
‘We’re getting a lot of response. There’s a couple of areas not for it, areas that don’t tend to call outside of their exchange, but for the most part everyone’s been very supportive,? she said.
The proposed plan would include 2,000 minutes of calls per month in the adjacent exchange area; excess minutes would be billed at 3 cents per minute, said Mielisky.