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Alpha Tel-Com disconnects rural towns By SANNE SPECHT Finding four bits to make a phone call can be tough enough. But in Rogue River and Gold Hill, just finding a pay phone that works can be a challenge. Three out of six pay phones in the two rural communities have been disconnected by service provider Alpha Tel-Com, which is in bankruptcy. The Chapter 11 is the latest in a saga that began with hopes the up-and-coming company would bring increased revenue to the two towns. In October 2000, Inc. Magazine listed Alpha Tel-Com as one of the top 2,000 fastest-growing companies in the United States. Rogue River and Gold Hill switched their pay-phone service provider from Qwest to Alpha Tel-Com after being offered a better rate of return. But in November 2001, Rogue River received notice that Alpha Tel-Com was filing Chapter 11. Four months later, the sign on the pay phone in front of City Hall reads, "This phone has been disconnected by Alpha Tel-Com." Rogue River City Administrator Mark Reagles said the deal originally looked good on paper. "Alpha Tel-Com said they'd give us a $200-per-phone bonus, plus 35 percent on all calls," said Reagles. "Compared to the flat 15 percent we were getting from Qwest, it seemed like a better option." Gold Hill City Recorder Tony Paxton said Alpha Tel-Com didn't offer his city the same deal, but the company did agree to provide additional new phone lines to City Hall. "We also got 25 percent of the cash and 25 percent of long-distance charges in excess of the monthly telephone charge," Paxton said. It soon became evident, however, that what originally appeared so promising was not panning out in real dollars. Gold Hill signed its letter of agreement with Alpha Tel-Com in January 1999 and stopped receiving payment in February 2001. Their last payment of $6 was received in January 2001. Rogue River signed its agreement on Jan. 31, 2001 and never received any money from the company. Three Alpha Tel-Com pay phones are located on city property in Rogue River. Two phones remain operational. But the phone in front of City Hall next to the police station is out of order. That phone, said Reagles, is the one the city most desired. "The reason the council asked for this specific installation was so people would have access to call 911 in an emergency," said Reagles. After contacting Qwest to reinstall their pay phones, Reagles was informed Qwest was no longer interested. "They have a map of where they're willing to go, and Rogue River isn't on it," said Reagles. Rogue River officials say they will keep investigating other options. Gold Hill also had three phones installed by Alpha Tel-Com. Only the phone in the city's downtown park remains in service. Paxton said Foster Pepper and Shefelman Attorneys, a receivership company for Alpha Tel-Com, agreed to reinstall the two out-of-service pay-phones for a monthly fee of $55 per line. The Gold Hill City Council voted to drop the pay-phone service at a recent council meeting. "The day of the pay phone has probably passed since we have so many cell phones," said Paxton. Sanne Specht is a free-lance writer living in Rogue River. Reach her at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.