HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - June 3, 1998 (93)AGENDA TITLE: Letter from Pacific Bell Regarding Application for Pricing Flexibility and To Increase Prices of
Certain Operator Services, To Reduce the Number of Monthly Directory Assistance Call
Allowances, and To Adjust Prices for Four Centrex Optional Features
MEETING DATE: June 3, 1998
PREPARED BY: City Clerk
ACTION: Information only, no action required.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The City Clerk's Office has received an application from Pacific Bell for
pricing flexibility and to increase prices of certain operator services, to reduce
the number of monthly directory assistance call allowances, and to adjust
prices for four Centrex optional features (Exhibit A). This is information only,
no Council action is required.
FUNDING: None
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Alice M. Reimche
City Clerk
APPROVED:
H. Don Flynn — City Manager,
May 12, 1998
To Whom It May Concern:
EXHIBIT Al
PACIFIC" ABELL.
A Pacific Telesis Company
On May 5, 1998, Pacific Bell filed an application with the California Public Utilities
Commission for pricing flexibility and to increase prices of certain operator services, to
reduce the number of monthly directory assistance call allowances, and to adjust prices for
four Centrex optional features.
The attached Notice summarizes Pacific's application, and is hereby being served upon
you in conformance with the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (Rule 24).
PACIFIC BELL
Enclosure
[ 10 day notice]
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PACIFIC BELL'S
PROPOSED PRICE INCREASES FOR OPERATOR AND DIRECTORY
ASSISTANCE SERVICES AND CENTREX OPTIONAL FEATURES .
On May 5, 1998, Pacific filed its application (Application No. ) with the
California Public Utilities Commission ("CPUC") to request pricing flexibility and to
increase prices for its Busy Line Verification ("BLV"), Emergency Interrupt ("EI"), and
Local Directory Assistance ("DA') services ("411" and "1 -area code -555-1212") and to
reduce the number of free monthly DA call allowances for residential and business
customers. Pacific also requested to increase the prices of Centrex Optional Features. In
addition, prices for Pacific's related wholesale counterparts (for BLV, EI, Local DA, and
Centrex Optional Features) will be increased accordingly.
Busy Line Verification, upon a customer's request, requires Pacific's operator to check if
a conversation is in progress. If there is a conversation on the line, the caller may request
an Emergency Interrupt. Local DA allows customers to obtain the listed telephone
numbers and published addresses, if available, of other telephone customers within their
Local Access Transport Area ("LATA") from Pacific's DA records. Each month,
Pacific's residential and business customers receive, per telephone line, an allotment of
free calls to DA to use before being charged to use the service. The Centrex Optional
Features subject to this Application are Directed Call Park, Call Park, Exchange & Toll
Message Diverting, and Deluxe Queuing Recorded Announcement.
Proposed Retail Price Increases:
Operator Services:
• Busy Line Verification
• Emergency Interrupt
• Local Directory Assistance
Centrex Optional Features:
• Directed Call Park
• Call Park
• Exchange Toll & Message
Diverting
• Deluxe Queue Recorded
Announcement
Current Proposed % Increase
$0.50
$2.00
300%
$1.00
$4.00
300%
$0.25
$0.50
100%
$0.75
$0.82
9%
$0.75
$0.77
3%
$0.50
$0.52
4%
$17.50
$17.64
1%
Additionally, the call allowances for residential Local DA will decrease from 5 to 3 calls
per month. The call allowances for business and miscellaneous services will be eliminated.
Prices for these services are currently below cost and well below what others are charging.
Proposed Resale Price Increases:
Operator Services:
• Busy Line Verification
• Emergency Interrupt
• Local Directory Assistance
Current
Proposed
% Increase
$0.42
$1.66
300%
$0.83
$3.32
300%
$0.21
$0.42
100%
Current Proposed % Increase
Centrex Optional Features:
• Directed Call Park
$0.62
$0.68
10%
• Call Park
$0.62
$0.64
3%
• Exchange Toll & Message
$0.42
$0.43
2%
Diverting
• Deluxe Queue Recorded
$14.53
$14.64
1%
Announcement
Additionally, the changes to the call allowances for resale service are the same as those
stated above for Pacific's retail service. The above pricing proposals are subject to CPUC
approval and may be significantly altered, changed, or modified by the CPUC. We have
also filed a motion with the CPUC to seal Exhibit H (cost studies) of the application.
Copies of the application, related exhibits, amendments, and motions may be examined at
the offices of the California Public Utilities Commission in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The addresses for the CPUC are as follows:
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, California 94102
California Public Utilities Commission
107 South Broadway
Los Angeles, California 90012
Copies may also be examined in the Pacific Bell Public Offices listed in the Customer Guide
section of the Pacific Bell® White Pages, under "Billing and Payment." Copies of the
application, related exhibits, amendments, and motions may be obtained by writing to:
Pacific Bell
Regulatory Manager - Tariff Library
140 New Montgomery Street, Room 2501
San Francisco, California 94105
If you want to comment on the proposed changes, receive information on how to participate
in this case at the CPUC, or be notified of any hearings, write to either of the Public Advisor's
Offices listed below. Refer to "Pacific Bell Application No. , filed May 5, 1998" in
your written comments.
Public Advisor's Office Public Advisor's Office
California Public Utilities Commission California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 5303 107 South Broadway, Room 5109
San Francisco, California 94102 Los Angeles, California 90012