Appeals Court Reverses PSC Approval Of Phone Fees

A Missouri Public Service Commission decision regarding phone fees is reversed by a state appeals court. The Missouri Court of Appeals in Kansas City has ruled the PSC failed to support its decision to approve surcharges imposed on Missouri customers by Sprint, AT&T, and MCI to offset local access fees. Sprint had imposed a $1.99 monthly surcharge, while AT&T and MCI each charged $1.95. The phone companies claimed the added charges were necessary to recover access charges they paid local exchange carriers to complete in-state long distance calls. The Office of Public Counsel – a consumer watchdog – estimates the surcharges added up to about $2.6-Million a month.