Receiving the ceremonial first call from Toledo without long-distance charges are (from left) Dr. George Boehlert, director of the Hatfield Marine Science Center, and board members of the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County which sponsored the effort to end long-distance charges between Toledo and South Beach: Dr. Pat O’Connor, president of Oregon Coast Community College; Chris Chandler DiTorrice, executive director; Commissioner John Mare’, Port of Alsea; and Central Lincoln PUD board member Curt Abbott, who also chairs the Alliance’s Telecommunications Committee.

Tomorrow is the long-awaited day for the formal end of long-distance toll calling between several Lincoln County communities: South Beach to and from Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach, Lincoln City, and Toledo; and Lincoln City to and from Siletz.

Phone customers in Lincoln City, Siletz, South Beach and Toledo were pleasantly surprised last Friday, when phone company technicians «threw the switches» early, and seven-digit dialing between Toledo and South Beach; and Siletz and Lincoln City began. Ceremonial first calls between those communities were held to celebrate.

Earlier this year, the Oregon Public Utility Commission approved several Lincoln County Extended Area Service (EAS) zones to take effect Saturday, October 2, but phone companies were allowed to start the new service earlier if they chose. All four of Lincoln County’s phone companies were affected by this year’s decision: CenturyTel, Pioneer, Qwest, and Sprint.

EAS gives phone customers the ability to call certain communities without paying a toll charge per minute, or dialing an area code first. Petition drives to establish the new EAS areas were spearheaded by the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County at the urging of Dr. Ed Parker, a rural telecommunications expert, and board member emeritus of the Alliance. Sponsored by Lincoln County, the Economic Development Alliance works to strengthen the county’s business climate. Long-distance toll charges between Lincoln County communities are seen as a barrier for businesses in reaching some of their customers, and for customers calling businesses in other parts of the county.

Chuck Forinash, owner of Forinash Photography and Framing Studio in South Beach was the lead petitioner for the South Beach EAS petition drive seeking South Beach’s large toll-free calling area, and Dan Lundy of Siletz was the lead petitioner for Lincoln City-Siletz EAS.

Lincoln City residential customers will pay an additional 36 cents a month, and business customers 60 cents per month for unlimited calling to South Beach and Siletz. However, Sprint customers may opt instead for a per-minute rate: six cents per minute, with discounts of 25 percent for evenings, and 50 percent for nights and weekends.

An additional increase in EAS rates for Lincoln City customers resulted from Sprint recalculating its rates for EAS statewide; these were approved by the Public Utility Commission earlier this year.

Toledo, Gleneden Beach, and Depoe Bay phone customers will not see an increase in their phone bills for the new services. Depoe Bay and Gleneden Beach already pay some of the highest EAS rates in Lincoln County: $5 a month for residential, and $7.47 for business customers.

Pioneer Telephone serves South Beach, and its customers have the option of paying an extra two dollars a month for unlimited calling to Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach, Lincoln City, and Toledo, or paying five cents per minute to call these communities.

Because Siletz phone customers are served by Qwest Communications, they will not have the option of choosing a per-minute rate to Lincoln City. Residential customers in Siletz will pay an additional .45 cents per month, and business customers .90 a month for unlimited calling to Lincoln City phone numbers.