US WEST has assured two Sanpete County cities that it will spend more than $1 million this year replacing its telephone switching equipment with state-of-the-art digital systems.
Robert C. Fuehr, Utah vice president, said the company will spend $770,000 on the Mt. Pleasant exchange, which also serves Spring City, and $650,000 on the Ephraim exchange.All other Sanpete County cities are served by three small privately owned telephone companies. Ephraim and Mt. Pleasant residents have complained that their US WEST exchanges do not provide them with services equal to those provided by the small local companies.
Fuehr said the upgrade of the Mt. Pleasant and Ephraim exchanges will provide their subscribers with several new features and benefits available to most metropolitan areas.
Those benefits will include speed calling, three-way calling, call waiting, faster connections and clearer sound, Fuehr said. He added that the upgrade will be completed by Sept. 27, 1992.
US WEST promised improvements will coincide with a $100,000 commitment to improved telephone communication by Sanpete County. The county expects to spend that amount this year on enhanced 911 to all areas of the county. Grant money and a surcharge on telephone bills will provide the funds.
Some areas of the county now do not have direct dialing of the 911 emergency number but are required to place their emergency calls through the county communications center at the courthouse in Manti.