[IP] Cell Phone Controversy in Winthrop
Begin forwarded message:
From: EEkid@xxxxxxx
Date: August 14, 2004 10:06:32 PM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Cell Phone Controversy in Winthrop
Cell Phone Controversy in Winthrop
Friday, August 13, 2004, 10:12:57 PM
Reporter Craig Brown – TV9 Cedar Rapids Newsroom
It's a first-of-its kind attempt. A small, local phone company is
trying to charge cellular providers for dialing home phone numbers. If
wireless companies don't comply, the company says it will cut off cell
phone calls to land lines in the town.
The East Buchanan Telephone Company in Winthrop says it's lost half a
million dollars from cell phone companies not paying for use of its
phone lines over the last five years. So E.B.T.C. bought a machine that
blocks all incoming cell phone calls to land lines in town and plans to
use it starting Monday.
If the local phone company's plan goes through, starting Monday Brad
Bird won't be able to use his cell phone for much of anything. He won't
be able to call home to check on dinner, call the doctor's office about
his kids, call in sick to work, or anything else. He told TV9, “They
advertised the I-Wireless and made a big push on it and now they are
going to block us from using it? I guess it doesn't make any sense."
E.B.T.C. general manager Butch Rorabaugh said it won't block cell
phone users from calling other cell phones or from calling 9-1-1.
Rorabaugh says other long distance carriers like AT&T pay a fee to use
their line. But cellular phone carriers do not. He says it's a huge
nationwide problem that's tied up in the courts, but the tiny town of
Winthrop is actually trying to do something about it. He told TV9,
“We're using our facilities, our plant, our investment to complete
these calls, and we'd simply like to get paid for that."
Because the local phone company is a co-op, it's owned collectively by
the people of Winthrop. Bird says that puts everyone in town in a tough
spot. “If the company doesn't get paid by cell phone users, then we
don't get any revenue to get our dividend checks, either."
TV9 has learned that the Iowa Utilities Board has stepped in and
issued a temporary injunction to block Winthrop from blocking any phone
calls on Monday.
This certainly isn't the end of this fight. In fact, this most likely
is just the beginning.
Do you have a question or comment about this story? Click here to
e-mail Craig Brown.
Copyright CRTV Company
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