Huron Beach residents hopeful adjacent call legislation passes

Residents of the Huron Beach area believe they have been left out of the loop when it comes to taking advantage of making local calls to adjacent calling areas. Service was improved for customers in the Rogers City, Onaway, and Posen exchange. Phone calls between Rogers City and Onaway are not long distance calls, as they once were, and neither are calls from Posen to Alpena.

The only call that?s not a long-distance one in the Huron Beach exchange of 938 is a call to fellow residents within the 938-prefix. People calling from 938 in adjacent calling areas are not charged long distance fees, but calls going out are.

IT?S FRUSTRATING and costly, says resident Bud DeLong, who lives a mile from his township clerk?s home, but if he wants to talk to him on the phone, it?s long distance. State Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City, has introduced a bill in the Senate which could change the situation. Allen, while in the House, introduced similar legislation a year ago but it died in committee.

The bill would benefit consumers living in communities such as Ocqueoc (938-exchange), Alba, Lakes of the North, Michaywe?, Boyne Falls, Elmira, Kingsley, and Buckley, along with Beaver Island and Mackinac Island, Bois Blanc Island and other smaller islands. Allen said Michigan has made great strides in expanding services and increasing competition in the telecommunications industry, but some rural telephone customers are still awaiting the benefits of the advancements. DeLong said if the bill becomes law, it?ll bring some of these rural telephone customers into the 21st century.

?I PAY AN internet provider, then I have to pay Verizon, who is not even my telephone company, $15 a month to have unlimited calling into the 734-exchange, which is the exchange where my internet provider is,? said Delong.?I think it?s discriminatory, myself.? If the legislation d

oesn?t make it through, Huron Beach residents don?t have much hope for change, but Allen remains optimistic that the bill will be approved. ?He thinks there?s a relatively good chance that it will pass,? said DeLong. ?When I talked to his aide, they are looking for any assistance he can get.?

SB 204 was sent the Senate Technology and Energy Committee for consideration, but Allen said the legislation needs support and letters from constituents. There are some independent phone companies that are balking at the plan, DeLong said. There also may be an attempt to eliminate calling zones on the part of legislators.

The zones would be replaced with a proposed radius calling area plan. Someone from Huron Beach might be able to call Posen, and not be charged a long distance call, but another resident 10 miles north, out of range, wouldn?t.