MediaOne expands telephone services

By Kristen Beaumont

For the Daily

Although MediaOne's new local telephone services are now available to customers in the Ann Arbor area, most students at the University are unable to benefit from the franchise.

MediaOne, which is already the major cable television provider in Ann Arbor, is offering telephone services to 16 cities and townships in metropolitan Detroit, including Ann Arbor. In addition to lower local telephone rates, MediaOne advertises local toll calls at 10 cents per minute in comparison to Ameritech's rates of 12 to 25 cents per minute.

Ameritech spokesman Michael Barnhart said his company, which controls most of the Michigan telephone market, isn't opposed to AT&T-owned MediaOne moving in.

"Ameritech welcomes all competition," Barnhart said, noting that MediaOne typically expands its services into more affluent areas. "However, MediaOne isn't real competition. They are cherry picking in selected markets."

Since most students on campus live in apartment buildings, residence halls or in other group-living arrangements, it can be difficult for utility providers, such as MediaOne, to hook up individual tenants without running into roadblocks with property owners.

"We need to get an access agreement with property owners in order to provide service to students in those buildings," MediaOne Vice President Tim Collins said.

MediaOne and several Ann Arbor property management companies are negotiating agreements.

University Towers property manager Dena Isley said she met with MediaOne and is looking over the contract.

"MediaOne has a good package," she said. "Anything that will benefit the students we will do," she said.

Other management companies were less certain of a possible agreement with MediaOne.

"Most tenants use Ameritech, but Campus Rentals doesn't discourage usage of MediaOne," said Bruce Dekraker, accounts manager at Campus Rentals. "I wasn't even aware MediaOne had telephone service."

Colin Khan, a manager at CMB Rentals, said he had not spoken to a representative from MediaOne.

While most University students won't see the benefits of MediaOne, other phone customers may be able to switch their provider. MediaOne is jumping in at a time when many customers, unhappy with service delays and slow repairs by Ameritech, are ready for a change.

"We run on a completely separate network than Ameritech and it's been a very reliable service," Collins said.

Ameritech officials faced a hearing before the Michigan Public Service Commission on Monday to explain why service calls are being answered about four to six weeks behind schedule.

Barnhart gave several reasons for Ameritech's slower service, including a shortage of repair technicians and weather delays.

But, Barnhart said, Ameritech is in the process of implementing a new plan to accelerate customer service.

"This customer service problem is a relatively recent phenomenon. We expect the announced effort will remedy the situation within the next several months," Barnhart said.

Improvements announced by Ameritech include an increase in spending for customer service and the offer of credits to customers who have been without phone service.