Phone Exchanges Get New Owner

Pend Oreille Telephone Co. will take over the Cusick, Ione and Metaline Falls phone exchanges Feb. 28 from GTE.

A GTE spokesman said the approximately 2,000 customers in the exchanges will notice few changes, but those with GTE calling cards will have to get new cards.

GTE agreed in 1995 to sell the three exchanges to Pend Oreille Telephone Co., a subsidiary of Rural Telephone Co. of Glenns Ferry, Idaho. Rural Telephone operates six exchanges in Idaho and four in Nevada.