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What�s the hang up? No phones Medford telemarketing firm files complaint as US West leaves employees waiting By David Preszler A telemarketing firm moved to Medford in the spring and hired 25 employees who are ready to work. But, for more than two months, TELEPROS has essentially been on hold. The problem? No phone service, other than one existing line. The company says US West said the additional phone lines at its leased Parsons Drive building would be ready to go April 15. Then it was June 6. But the company�s still waiting. It filed a complaint with the Oregon Public Utility Commission over the delay, which it says is costing the company thousands and makes it tough to keep the good employees they�ve found. "It�s kind of a nightmare when you consider how we make our living," says Renee Shaw, the company�s general manager. "We�ve been wrangling with them and can�t get straight answers from US West." Gary Miller, US West�s regional manager, says he personally learned of the situation Thursday and is working hard to resolve it. "I feel badly for what she�s described," he says. "We�re pulling out all the stops." He says the company has to install a cable to hook up the T1 connection � a high-capacity telecommunication service commonly used by businesses that need to handle lots of data or voice traffic. Miller says the connection will be complete within two weeks. "By the 12th (of July), we�ll definitely have service," he says. The PUC confirmed that a complaint has been filed and assigned to an investigator. In the first quarter of the year, 11 complaints statewide have been filed against US West regarding T1 installation problems. PUC spokesman Bob Valdez says that the number of complaints is relatively small, but is a big concern. Delays can have a significant impact on companies that make decisions based on when they�re told the connections will be ready. TELEPROS has national contracts with the makers of TV infomercials. TELEPROS does follow-up calls to the infomercial company�s customers, trying to sell them more products. The 3-year-old company moved this spring from Arroyo Grande, Calif., near San Luis Obispo, drawn by the area�s emerging call center work force. "There�s quite a bit of telemarketing that goes on here," Shaw explains. TELEPROS, owned by Ray Quattrocelli, had planned to open with 50 employees, but scaled that back when the phone difficulties arose. It had hoped to have 100 workers by year�s end. Shaw says the company pays a base hourly wage plus commissions. Between the two, she says employees will make $12-$20 an hour. But with only one line at the building working, there�s no calling to be done and employees are in a holding pattern, too. "We�ve had to keep telling people not to come," says Shaw. The company�s clients are getting edgy, too. TELEPROS expected to be down a few weeks for the move, but was set to start June 6. "This is the fourth week going into the fifth that we thought we�d be operating," Shaw says. "We generate thousands of dollars a day." Shaw says the company has tried to be patient, but that patience is wearing thin. "We�re getting to the point where we�re not happy," she says. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA