Long-distance calls within York County
could disappear this summer if one state legislator has his way. But he
says residents shouldn't get their hopes up.
Rep. Herb Kirsh, D-Clover, has again introduced a bill that would
make all calls made within the county toll free starting July 1. Now,
calls made from Rock Hill to parts of western York County, and vice
versa, are subject to a long-distance fee.
"It's just not right, with the size of our county," Kirsh said. "I
just think you ought to have the right to make a call like that" without
paying long-distance fees.
Kirsh's introduction of the bill has become somewhat of a tradition.
He said he's tried "at least five times, maybe six" to get the bill
passed without success.
And judging by past attempts, Kirsh admits he's not expecting luck to
strike this time.
"It's going to have a tough time," he said.
Referred to committee
He introduced the bill Jan. 11 and it was promptly referred to the
Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry, where it will have to pass
two votes just to make it back to the House for a vote. That doesn't
seem likely to happen, Kirsh said. He also doesn't expect the two phone
companies that serve York County -- Comporium and BellSouth -- will go
along with the idea.
Long-distance calling areas are determined by the S.C. Public Service
Commission, which regulates utilities in the state. In determining the
calling areas, the commission studies things such as public interest,
optional calling services and the cost to phone companies.
The growing popularity of cell phones has lessened the need for
countywide toll-free calling, Kirsh said, but it's still something
residents deserve. Eleven of the state's 46 counties have countywide
toll-free calling, he said.
But doing away with long-distance rates in York County, or elsewhere,
doesn't seem likely to happen given the competitive nature of the phone
business, state officials say.
"I think it would be very difficult today," said Jim McDaniel,
program manager for telecommunications in the Office of Regulatory
Staff, a recent spin-off of the Public Service Commission.
In general, it costs phone companies too much money to update
networks to handle the higher call volumes that would come without
long-distance fees, McDaniel said.
"That stimulates traffic," he said. "Those are revenues that the
company would lose, so those have to be considered also in the
equation."
Also making a countywide change unlikely is that phone companies
often offer customers the option of an expanded calling plan at a higher
monthly fee, McDaniel said.
"There is a cost associated with doing that -- the cost for the
technology to do it," said Glenn McFadden, executive vice president of
operations for Comporium. "But the cost would have to be absorbed by the
customers."
McFadden said he didn't know what that cost would be. Comporium's
willing to research the idea, but, "We don't get that many complaints,
if any," he said.
"There's options and most of the people who have the need to call
(long-distance) have gotten those options years ago," he said.
Aside from Kirsh's recurring efforts to do away with intracounty
long-distance fees, others have filed unsuccessful petitions with the
Public Service Commission through the years with the same goal in mind.
The most recent came in 2000, McDaniel said. None have been received
so far this year.
Kirsh began filing for legislation after receiving complaints from
his constituents in the far northwestern corner of the county, many of
whom have had to pay long-distance charges when they call his Clover
office.
"As long as I'm here, I'm going to introduce that bill," Kirsh said.
"I don't give up."
Ever the fighter, Kirsh also has introduced a bill that would require
toll-free calling statewide starting July 1. That bill also has been
referred to the Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry. Kirsh said he
didn't know when the committee would vote on either proposal.
Jason Foster • 329-4066
jfoster@heraldonline.com
