Ipuc Orders Small Hike In Telephone Charges

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has ordered an increase in residential and business charges to telephone companies supporting the Universal Service Fund.

Commissioners said the action was to help rural telephone businesses provide services to their customers at reasonable rates.

The surcharge on residential phone lines will go from 12 to 14 cents per month and from 24 to 26 cents on business lines. The commission also ordered a slight increase in charges paid by intrastate long-distance companies to the fund.

The Universal Service Fund was created by the Idaho Telecommunications Act of 1988 to provide reasonably priced service among rural communities.

The fund last year distributed more than it collected to eight telephone companies and ended the period with a small carryover.

The increase goes into effect Oct. 1.