Beginning in August 1998, Phoenix and Seattle Businesses Can Change Local
Telephone Service Provider and Keep Their Existing Phone Number
VANCOUVER, Wash., May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Electric Lightwave Inc.
(Nasdaq: ELIX), an integrated communications provider, today announced the
initial deployment schedule of Phase I of local number portability in Phoenix,
Ariz., and Seattle.
Beginning in August 1998, business customers in Seattle and Phoenix will
be able to change local telecommunications service providers within the local
calling area (in a metropolitan statistical area) while retaining the same
phone number. Local number portability enables customers to make local
telecommunications service provider choices based on service, quality and
price, rather than on a need to keep a particular telephone number -- which,
up until now, has not been an option for businesses.
Local number portability is just one of the nationwide requirements of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996, legislation which was designed to open up
competition between telephone service providers. The Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) oversees the implementation of local number portability and
has set December 31, 1998 as the deadline for completion of the first phase by
wireline carriers. Electric Lightwave announced that in addition to Phoenix
and Seattle, it is on target for local number portability deployment in its
other metropolitan statistical areas in the western United States.
"Electric Lightwave was an early adopter of the concept of local number
portability because it gives consumers the option of keeping their telephone
number even if they change telephone service providers," explained Dave
Sharkey, Electric Lightwave's president and COO. "A full two years prior to
the Telecommunications Act of 1996, we started testing different approaches
for solving portability issues because we saw it as a valuable consumer
benefit."
Allows customers more freedom of choice
Businesses are particularly affected by telephone number changes, since
these changes result in higher costs -- for re-printing stationery and
business cards, directory listings, advertising and sales materials, as well
as the loss of a telephone number which customers may have come to identify
with the business itself. Local number portability will allow business
customers to save on the expenses of changing phone numbers when they make the
decision to switch service providers.
For more information about local number portability, Electric Lightwave
has developed a detailed white paper available immediately. To receive a copy
of the white paper, visit the Media and Investor Relations section of Electric
Lightwave's web site at http://www.eli.net or contact Michele Ruegg or Christina
Velasquez at Kaufer Miller Communications at 425-450-9965 or by email at
micheler@kmrc.com or christinav@kmrc.com.
About Electric Lightwave Inc.
Based in Vancouver, Wash., Electric Lightwave Inc. is a full-service
integrated communications provider offering local and long distance telephone
service, videoconferencing, prepaid services, data and Internet access
services to business customers throughout the western United States. Electric
Lightwave currently offers competitive telecommunications services in Boise,
Idaho; Salt Lake City, Utah; Sacramento, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; Seattle,
Phoenix, and their respective surrounding areas. The company recently ranked
third in the nation for "Best Internet Value" by Boardwatch Magazine. For more
information, call 360-816-3602 or visit Electric Lightwave on the World Wide
Web at http://www.eli.net.
NOTE: All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their
respective owners, with no intent to infringe.
SOURCE Electric Lightwave, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.eli.net
CONTACT:
Jack Hardy of Electric Lightwave, Inc.,
360-816-3602, or jack_hardy@eli.net; or Michele Ruegg,
425-450-9965, or micheler@kmrc.com, or Christina Velasquez,
425-450-9965, or christinav@kmrc.com, both of Kaufer Miller
Communications, for Electric Lightwave
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