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Show December M), 1982 Newsprint Page 3 The telephone company is going through some big changes. Most everyone knows that Ma Bell has been broken into many pieces, the piece left in Utah being Mountain Bell. And almost every day Mountain Bell sends news releases recent developments or undertakings. Two of Bear Baffles Children information on recent developments and undertakings. Two of these are mentioned on this page, including a program that Mountain Bell would like to have a used telephone business. But also there is something very local a telephone group helping Uintah hadicapped children. Mountain Bell is Hoping to Sell Used Telephones Mountain Bell has filed tariffs with the Utah Public Service Commission requesting approval to give single-lin- e residence and business customers the option to buy telephone sets that have previously been offered on a lease-onl- y basis. According to Mountain Bell spokesman Ken Hill, the sets involved are the Princess, Trimline and standard sets, in both rotary and Touch-Ton- e - mms? Jerry Larsen, president of the Mountain Bell Pioneers stands and chuckles as one of the is baffled by a talking bear handicapped students of the Uintah County presented to the students. The bear talked about the children as if it knew them. But actually, the bear was yoiced by someone In another room. The Mountain Bell Pioneers are part of a national telephone employees' association which has three aims: fellowship, loyalty and service. Pre-Scho- ol New Telephone Tax To Boost $98 Billion percent to 3 percent. Carol Dunlap, Public Relations Staff Manager for Mountain Bell in Utah, said the increase results from a tax package adopted by the U.S. Congress last August a tax package that boosts taxes by S98.9 billion over a three-yeperiod. "Under the August plan, the telephone excise tax will be 3 percent through 1983, 1984 and 1985," Dunlap said. "After that, unless the tax will - be abolished Congress acts again in the meantime." Dunlap said the two percent increase will apply to any telephone service provided after November I, 1981 but billed for the first time in January of 1983. Estimates indicate the two percentage point increase will add an estimated $1.3 billion to the excise taxes paid by telephone users in the United State's. The estimates do not reflect the impact of customer premises equipment to be purchased during the coming year, since it will no longer be subject to the telephone ar service excise tax. Dunlap said the federal excise tax was first imposed by Congress during World War 1 as a temporary" measure. It was repealed briefly after the war, but was during the depression, and climbed as high as 25 percent on longdistance calls and 15 percent on local re-instit- Bell to retain ownership and maintenance responsibility can have it that way." Mountain Bell customers in Utah will receive information in the mail explaining the new option. Included will be details of a special reduced rate which will be available to customers who purchase the telephone sets already in their homes within 90 days after the PSC approves the y period, proposed plan. After the customers will still have the opportunity to purchase their phones, but the cost will 90-da- "Several years ago. Congress voted to Effective Saturday, the federal excise tax on telephone service will increase from gradually eliminate the tax, which had 1 versions. The offer will apply to customers who have these sets on their premises, as well as to those who place a new order for them after the plan takes effect. If approved, the sale plan will become effective Feb. 1, 1983. "This sale plan will give our customers a greater choice, Hill said. "Those who want to buy these sets outright will be able to do so, and those who want Mountain stood at 10 percent for almost 20 years," Dunlap said. "In recent years, it dropped percent each year, and was scheduled to be (percent in 198 land eliminated at the end of 1981 "Legislation enacted in 1980, however, continued the tax at 2 percent through 1981, while a law passed in 198 1 lowered it to 1 percent for 1981 1 be higher. "The greatest benefit of buying these telephones is seeing a reduction in your monthly phone bill," Hill said. "That reduction will reflect the elimination of the monthly set charge of the purchased phones. Hill explained.that the decision to buy a phone or lease it is a matter of personal preference, and that the decision is often based on a price comparison. "For example," he said, "the purchase price for a traditional rotary telephone during the reduced rate offer will be $19.95, while the cost to lease the same phone from Mountain Bell for one year would be $16.08 ($1.34 per month). "In other words, purchasing the phone at the reduced rate is a procedure that would more than pay for itself in 15 months." The purchase option is already in effect in some areas of the country. Customers in states served by Pacific Telephone Company, New York Telephone Company and Pacific Northwest Bell now have the option of either buying or leasing their telephone sets. Hill noted that the optional sale plan will not apply to single-lin- e sets used with Key, PBX or Centrex systems, party lines or coin phones. Registered Trademark - |
