
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 7, 1995                   TAG: 9511070056
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SURVEY: SHAWSVILLE FAVORS `EXTENDED LOCAL SERVICE' TO ROANOKE

A survey of customers in Bell Atlantic Corp.'s Shawsville exchange indicates they would be willing to pay more for telephone service if toll charges were eliminated on calls to Roanoke, the State Corporation Commission said Monday.

Shawsville phone customers, whose phone numbers have the 268 prefix, voted 825-245 in favor of an "extended local service" plan that would eliminate the Roanoke toll charges.

If the plan is implemented, Shawsville customers with flat-rate residential service will pay an additional $5.10 on their monthly phone bills.

In all, 1,070, or 48 percent, of the 2,229 phone customers in Shawsville responded to a recent Bell Atlantic survey on the issue.

Before the extended calling plan can be put into place, Roanoke customers will be given an opportunity to comment on it.

If a rate increase of greater than 5 percent is proposed for Roanoke customers, the SCC would require the phone company to poll them to see if they wanted toll-free calling to Shawsville in return for higher monthly rates.

by CNB