24 - Sunday, November 25, 1990 - North Shore News BUSINESS Lower phone rates eyed B.C. TEL customers will see the charge for basic montily tele- phone service decrease as a result of an application by B.C. Tel to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The application, if approved, will provide Touch Calling as part of basic service for all residential and business customers with indi- vidual, overline, party line and measured service. ‘Although most of our cus- tomers will be affected in a posi- tive way, this move is revenue neutral for B.C. Tel,’ said B.C. Tel product manager Diane Mac- Farlane. *‘We are proposing to formatly recognize the substantial change in what is considered nec- essary for basic service since we first introducted Touch Calling in 1970."* Currently, all telephone sets generate one of two types of signals to communicate with the telephone network, cither tone signals or dial pulse signals. In B.C., a Touch Calling line can carry both types of signals and can be used with aay type of telephone. But a dial pulse line, which is currently considered basic service, cannot carry the tone signals produced by the touch call sets. “What we have found is that dial pulse service is no longer suf- ficient to meet the daily com- munication needs of our typical customer,”’ said MacFarlane. “More than 60 per cent of B.C. Tel customers who are eligible for the service already subscribe to Touch Calling and the number is growing steadily at a rate af ap- proximately five per cent a year.”’ She added that dial pulse lines and the associated rotary dial sets are more expensive to repair and maintain. By eliminating dial pulse lines, said MacFarlane, B.C. Tel can provide better customer service and control ongcing rotary set refurbishing costs. If the application is approved, the Touch Calling line surcharge will be eliminated while rates for basic service will go up. Residen- tial customers, who currently subscribe to Touch Calling, will see a net decrease of 40 cents a month per line and business cus- tomers will see a net decrease of 65 cents per line. For those customers who do not currently subscribe to Touch Call- ing, basic service will increase by 90 cents per month for residences and $1.90 per month -for businesses. - “The advantages are substan- tial. First of all, customers can choose to tease or bry any tele- phone set or combination of sets available on the market, not just a rotary dial or tone pulse swit- chable set,”* said MacFarlane. She added that a Touch Calling line and set used together provide access tO & growing number of convenience services and free in- formation lines which are other- wise inaccessible. MacFarlane lists touch tone banking. account balance hot lines from B.C. Hydro and Faton’s, 3002X OUT-OF-TOWN CALL COLLECT 985-9511 1160 MARINE DRIVE NORTH VANCOUVER university registration, access to pagers and remote access to an- swering machines, network features such as voice messaging and Call Management Service, the Revenue Canada Tax Refund In- formation Line and the 24-hour B.C. Mental Health Information Line as examples of these services. B.C. Tel estimated that Touch Calling, as part of basic service, will be available by the third quarter of 199], 500 ZK 240 SX STANZA SENTRA MAXIMA MICRA AXXESS PATHFINDER 3WD PICKUP 2WD PICKUP KING CAB Good selection af colors and aptions 5000 ON SELECT MODELS 06127 WARD MUSIC all the best in your new location in North Vancouver 1615 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver Heritage Advisory Committee Heritage Awards NOMINATIONS are now being accepted for the 1991 City of North Vancouver Heritage Awards The deadiine for nominations is December 31, 1990. Awards will be granted during Heritage Week, February 18-24, 1991 in the following categones: Residential Building Conservation “Honouring an outstanding restoration or the adaptive re-use of a residential heritage building or its landscaping” Commercial Building Conservation “Honouring an oulstanding restoration or the adaptive re-use ot a commercial heritage building or its iandscaping” Personal Achievement “Honouring an individual or corporanon for outstanding com- munity achievement in support of heritage Conservation in the City” NOMINATION FORMS may be picked up at City Hall, 141 West 14th Street or call 985-7761 (local 216) for more information. vo Short Not To" elieveIn SantaClaus Come and visit our big, bright and beautiful new store in Park and Tilford Centre. We'll bring out the ho ho ho's in you... ¢ Christmas and New Year’s Party Supplies © Tree ornaments * Wonderful Gifts and Stocking Stuffers * Cards * Gift Wrap PARK & TILFORD CENTRE #333-775 Brooksbank Ave., N. Van. 980-5377 Christmas Hours: from Dec. 3 Mon-Sat. 9:30-9 pm, Sunday 11-5 pm oe