VERNAL — Preliminary data that track calling patterns throughout the Uinta Basin show that Vernal residents are using toll-free calling more than any other community in Uintah and Duchesne counties.
The numbers are ironic because numerous Vernal residents opposed the plan to remove the minute-by-minute toll charge and replace it with a flat monthly fee, saying they would not benefit because they never call outside of their own telephone prefix.
Figures show that Vernal residents are using the new calling plan at a rate that has increased 19 times since the toll charge was removed in November 2003. Those figures are the highest of any calling area.
Figures from September 2003 through September 2004 show demand greatly outpacing previous expectations, said Bruce H. Todd, chief executive officer of UBTA-UBET Telecom.
"Once they had the opportunity to call outside their prefix for free, they took advantage of it," he said.
It's been almost a year since UBTA-UBET Telecom implemented toll-free basin-wide calling in its service territory in Duchesne and Uintah counties. It took the telephone company two years to get their extended area service plan approved by regulatory agencies.
Company officials say they are not surprised by the recently released figures, as they forecast that demand for toll-free calling would raise telephone usage between seven and 20 times.
The utility watchdog group Committee of Consumer Services doubted the demand for the service within the basin would be that high, saying more realistic numbers should be a two- to three-fold increase at the most.
A dispute regarding the value of toll-free calling tied up implementation of the extended area service for several months. It finally ended with an agreement to conduct a six-month study to track calling patterns to determine if the monthly extended area-tiered service fee for out-of-area calls within the basin is being applied correctly.
"It shows the demand was there and we recognized it, despite the detractors," said Todd. "Some of them may not call (outside their prefix), but there's a silent majority out there, they use it and they appreciate it. . . . We are uniting communities."
The preliminary extended area service traffic studies show that more Fruitland residents are using toll-free calling than any other community save only Vernal. Fruitland calls to Roosevelt, Vernal and Duchesne exchanges posted a "stimulation factor" or increase of 11.5 times. Roosevelt-exchange to Vernal-exchange calling patterns have climbed 10.5 times since the implementation of toll-free calling, said Nissa Lamb, a member of UBTA-UBET's special projects group.
The vocal opposition from Vernal did have benefits for telephone subscribers in Vernal, Duchesne and Roosevelt. Their questions forced UBTA-UBET to re-examine a proposed basin-wide flat monthly extended area service fee of $5.95 for all residential customers, and to resubmit a tiered fee that has Vernal customers paying 80 cents a month for the toll-free calling in the basin. Roosevelt customers pay $2.25, Duchesne customers pay $3.25 and UBTA customers who live in Fruitland, Randlett, Altamont, Tabiona, Flattop-Myton area, Neola and Lapoint pay $5.75 a month.
Those are interim rates and are subject to adjustment by regulatory agencies.
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