Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-07

Many requests to be changed from
one class of service to a lower one
have been received at the local office
of the New England Telephone & Tel
egraph Company since the announce
ment Of the recent increase in rates
which was allowed in part by the
Maine Public Utilities Commission.
People who have formerly had pri-
vate lines are now going onto two
party circuits and SO on in order to
counterfeit the increase in the cost of
telephone service.
Manager T. c. stone of the Augusta
district has announced that the COM
pany will, for reasonable time, ham
die orders for change of service as
of the first of the month, when the
rate increase went into effect, al
though it may take the service men
several days to get to the application.
This in effect will give some telephone
users the advantage of the old CLASH
fication for few days without having
to pay a portion of the month on the
old class and the remainder on the
new class. The company stands ready
/ to handle these changes as fast as
possible in the order in which they
are received.
The changes affect practically all
local phones as we'll as increasing the
toll rates. The increase on business
telephones is as follows: Individual
lines from 1915 per month to SIS; two
party lines, So to S4.25 MONTH; rural
business phones from $3.50 TO $2.75.
In addition new business service,
known as the measured service, has
been inaugurated. This is for the use
of those who have few outgoing calls.
This provides for a rate of 81 a
month with IS outgoing local mes
sages allowed. An additional rate of
four cents is arranged for the next 1856
calls, of three and half cents each
for the next 500 calls and a rate of
three cents for all additional calls
A considerable increase has been
made on what is known as PIX
boards. the office switch boards used
in many of the larger establishments.
The cost of the trunk line running
from the board to the central Office has
been increased from $3.50 to $3.50, a
month, each inside phone connected
with the board has changed from 81
to $1.25 a month and there has been
an increase in the rental of the board,
this depending upon the size of the
switchboard used.
A corresponding increase in the
rental of residence phones has been
made. The new cost of private line
is So as compared with a former cost
of $3.50. A two-party line has jump
ed from So to $2.50. and four, five or
six-party line formerly $1.75 is now
50. 1t is the intention of the company
to change the service on these lines
70 &c
ually there will be but four instru-
ments on line. This cannot be done
at once as the company's facilities
are not sufficient to handle the addi-
tional lines that will be necessary, but
it will be done as quickly as practi-
cable
Rural residence installations now
cost So a month instead of $1,75 as
formerly. For the privately owned
farmers lines, which are connected
through the local switch board,
charge of 95 cents a month was for
merly made for service on business
telephones and of so cents on resi-
dence instruments. A rebate of rs
cents was given if the bill was paid
within 20 days of the date of the bill.
This has been changed to $3.50 for
business telephones and 81 for resi-
dences and the rebate Is effective only
If paid within Is days. There are in
addition pole rentals and mileage
rates which are assessed against the
private companies and which have
taken a corresponding increase. Serv-
ice charges for changing and altering
the installation in homes and offices
remain the same. Y
Manager Stone declared Saturday
that he is ready at all times to talk
the matter over with subscribers and
to help them in any way possible TO
get the best service possible at the
greatest saving. 1t is possible in
many cases to use different type of
service with complete satisfaction
and at the same time save consider
able amount by the change. Thus far