Cable / Telecom News

MTS doubles pay phone rates

by Myron Love WINNIPEG - Having secured the approval of the CRTC, MTS Allstream has begun the process of doubling its pay phone rate from 25 cents to 50 cents a call - despite complaints from advocates of the poor who argue that the increase should have phased in over a period of time. "We haven't increased our rates since 1983," says MTS spokesman Michael Bouliane. "Ontario and Quebec already charge 50 cents to use pay phones, Saskatchewan is awaiting CRTC approval and Telus has charged pay phone users 35 cents a call for some time now." Bouliane reports that...