THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411030484
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Daily Digest
LENGTH: Short : 25 lines
A State Corporation Commission hearing examiner has recommended the commission approve a two-year trial in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia of phone numbers 2-1-1 or 3-1-1 for use in selling information services. The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star and The Washington Post, among others, have expressed interest in selling news, weather and entertainment information to callers using the three-digit numbers. The newspapers want one of the numbers specially assigned to them. Bell Atlantic-Virginia, the state's main local phone company, says rather only one information seller using each three-digit number, however, dozens or even hundreds of companies should have access to that number through a ``gateway'' dialing system. Bell Atlantic also says the state commission should back off and let the Federal Communications Commission set a national policy on the matter. (Staff) by CNB