News Release

May 5, 2005

KCC to hold Public Hearings on SBC's request for Price Deregulation in Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita

Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (SBC) has filed an application with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) requesting permission to price telephone products and services for residential and small business customers the same way its competitors do now, without KCC oversight or regulation in Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita. This is known as "price deregulation."

The KCC will hold public hearings concerning SBC's application in Kansas City, Wichita, and Topeka to provide a forum at which interested persons may testify. Kansas law (K.S.A. 66-2005(q)) states that the KCC may price deregulate all or some of the products and services in SBC's application upon a finding that there is an "alternative provider providing a comparable product or service, considering both function and price, in that exchange area."

Those wishing to testify are asked to address whether there is a telecommunications carrier or alternative provider providing a product or service comparable to those in SBC's application, considering both function and price, in the Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita areas. If the KCC grants SBC's application, SBC will be allowed to price products and services, without KCC oversight and may make "bundled" offerings of local, long distance, and discretionary services such as Caller ID and Call Waiting.

SBC's application includes some of the following services: Business and Residential Basic Local Service, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Three-Way Calling, Call Forwarding, Privacy Manager, Anonymous Call Rejection, and Call Trace. A complete list of the products and services included in SBC's application can be found on the KCC's website at http://www.kcc.state.ks.us/scan/200504/20050411151138.pdf.

Public Hearings

The Commission has scheduled public hearings regarding SBC's application. At the hearings, interested persons will have the opportunity to testify before the KCC's Commissioners on whether they have found available in their area comparable services from sources other than SBC. The hearing consists of two parts; a question and answer period and a period for interested persons to make sworn statements to the KCC's Commissioners. The public hearings are:

• Monday, May 9, 2005 at 7:00 p.m., Jack Reardon Convention Center, McCarthy Gallery, 520 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas
• Tuesday, May 10, 2005 at 7:00 p.m., Wichita State University, Hughes Metropolitan Complex, Room 180, 5015 E. 29th Street N., Wichita, Kansas
• Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 7:00 p.m., Kansas Corporation Commission, First Floor Hearing Room, 1500 S.W. Arrowhead Road, Topeka, Kansas

The KCC will also accept written comments from interested persons through 5:00 p.m. on May 13, 2005. Comments regarding SBC's application should clearly reference "Docket No. 05-SWBT-997-PDR" and may be emailed to public.affairs@kcc.state.ks.us or mailed to the Kansas Corporation Commission; Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection; 1500 S.W. Arrowhead Road; Topeka, KS 66604. Interested persons may also call the Commission at 785.271.3140 or 1.800.662.0027 to comment.

KCC Decision

As required by Kansas law (K.S.A. 66-2005(q)), the Commission is required to grant or deny SBC's application, in whole or in part, by June 27, 2005. The Commission will review SBC's application and all information presented by SBC, the KCC's technical staff, the Citizens' Utility Ratepayer Board, other interveners, and comments by interested persons when making its decision.

Docket No. 05-SWBT-997-PDR

Kansas City Metro Area: Kansas City, Bonner Springs, Edwardsville, Shawnee, Lenexa, Overland Park, Olathe, Leawood, Prairie Village, Mission Hills, Mission Woods, Fairway, Roeland Park, Mission, Merriam, Westwood, Westwood Hills, Lake Quivira and Stanley.

Download a jpg version of this map at http://www.kcc.state.ks.us/maps/sbc_kc.jpg

Topeka : Topeka, Maple Hill, Carbondale, Auburn, Dover, Pauline, Tecumseh and Lecompton.

Download a jpg version of this map at http://www.kcc.state.ks.us/maps/sbc_topeka.jpg

Wichita: Wichita and Eastborough, Mulvane, Derby, Goddard, Colwich, Bentley, Haysville, Maize, Sedgwick, Valley Center, Kechi, Park City, Bel Aire, Augusta, Andover, Rose Hill, Benton and Whitewater.

Download a jpg version of this map at http://www.kcc.state.ks.us/maps/sbc_wichita.jpg