PR-10-03 -- MEDIA REMINDER: PSC To Hold Local Public Hearing In Kansas City On AT&T Missouri White Pages Directory Waiver Request

CONTACT: KEVIN KELLY (573) 751-9300

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- JULY 6, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Public Service Commission will hold a local public hearing in Kansas City on July 6, 2009, to receive customer comment on a request filed by AT&T Missouri which seeks a waiver of a PSC rule that requires the company deliver a paper copy of the residential white page telephone directory to all households and businesses in its Kansas City market. Instead, AT&T Missouri has proposed distributing a free copy of the white page directory to those customers who request such a directory. 

On June 16, 2009, the parties in this case (AT&T Missouri, the Office of the Public Counsel, the PSC staff, the Communications Workers of America and Charter Fiberlink) filed an agreement for Commission consideration.

 The agreement urges the Commission to approve AT&T Missouri’s request for a waiver to implement its new method of providing residential white page directories in the Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield markets. The agreement states AT&T Missouri would need to seek an additional waiver for any other areas of its service territory in Missouri.

The agreement requires AT&T Missouri to take several additional steps to ensure that every customer who wants a white pages directory will be able to receive one at no charge. AT&T Missouri will provide its customers with the ability to choose how they access and use white pages listing information by providing information in multiple formats, including websites. The AT&T Real Yellow Pages directory will continue to be sent to all households and businesses within its service territory.

“Although not requested by any party to the proposed settlement, the Commission believes the customers in the Kansas City market should be made aware of the significant change in service each customer may soon realize,” said PSC Chairman Robert M. Clayton III. “We hope that our presence in the community will draw attention to the fact customers may not automatically receive a paper copy of the white pages in the future and cause concerned customers to attend the hearing and express their opinions before a final decision is made,” Clayton said.

The July 6, 2009 local public hearing will be held at the Kansas City Public Library, Cohen Center, Plaza Branch: Lower Level, 4801 Main Street. A PSC staff question and answer session begins at 5:30 p.m. The local public hearing will start at 6:00 p.m. and will conclude when every person who wishes to testify has done so. The hearing will be webcast and available over the internet at psc.mo.gov.

Customers who wish to make written comments may do so using the Commission’s Internet Electronic Filing System at  https://www.efis.psc.mo.gov/mpsc/Comments.html

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Case No. IE-2009-0357