Local phone service will expand – at a cost

How much extra would you be willing to pay on your monthly phone bill in order to have an Augusta to Thomson call be considered “local,” not “long-distance?”

How much would you pay to have a call from Hephzibah to Waynesboro, Ga., be considered local? How about Wrens to Grovetown? Or Harlem to Midville, Ga.?

If you are one of those wireless-only people who don’t have a landline phone (you know, the kind of phone your parents have), your answer is probably “nothing.” For everyone else, the answer probably depends on how often they make such calls.

Regardless, those questions will be coming up next year as state regulators move forward on a request by area officials to extend the local calling service between Richmond, McDuffie, Burke and Jefferson counties.

Late last year, officials from the counties petitioned the state Public Service Commission to order BellSouth, er, make that the “new AT&T,” to do traffic and cost studies for two-way calling between the counties.

According to estimates recently sent back to the counties, the line costs (the portion that is just for the phone line, not all the taxes, fees and other assorted gobbledegook that are on your bill) would increase from $13.40 to $14.85 for residential customers and $26.65 to $37.30 for business customers, assuming costs are split 50-50 between the two categories. (Atlanta’s local phone rates, in comparison, are $17.45 for residential and $48.30 for businesses.)

The actual increase in our rates will depend on how the counties choose to divvy up the costs, that is, assuming they still want to proceed with the local service expansion.

They likely will.

The four counties and several municipalities have approved resolutions supporting the expansion, which was initiated by Burke County.

“We’re trying to look forward to a consensus,” said Augusta Commission member Jerry Brigham.*

After the counties agree to move forward, AT&T will send a ballot to its customers for a vote.

Of course, that could take awhile.

“There’s no timeline on this,” PSC spokesman Bill Edge said. “Needless to say, we’re looking at next year.”

THERE’S IRONY IN HERE SOMEWHERE: “Local” landline service from Augusta to Waynesboro does not yet exist, but you can surf the Internet on your cell phone anywhere in between those two locales if you’re an Alltel customer.

Alltel recently announced it has expanded its high-speed wireless Internet service in and around Augusta, giving its customers wireless Internet speeds comparable to that of cable modem and DSL. The evolution data optimized (known to geeks as EVDO) technology will run you $59.99 a month and you don’t even need an Alltel voice plan to qualify.

You do, however, need an EVDO-capable handset or laptop PC data card. I don’t know how much those cost. Call Alltel. They’re in the book under “A.”

SUITE!: You know where else you can get high-speed Internet access?

That’s right, The Jameson Suites at 1062 Claussen Road.

After being closed all summer for a $5 million renovation, the former Amerisuites now boasts new 32-inch televisions, full-size stainless steel refrigerators, granite countertops and (groan) Jameson’s signature “Dreamium” bedding. The hotel’s owner, Longhouse Hospitality of Smyrna, Ga., bought the property last year from Hyatt Corp. and the hotel is being operated by its Park Management Group subsidiary.

IN OTHER REAL ESTATE NEWS: While mentioning the rumor du jour about tenant shuffling at National Hills shopping center last week, I referred to the property’s owner as a company headed by Windsor Jewelers owner Donnie Thompson.

That information was, like, so three months ago.

In September, the Don’s BT&R Enterprises LLC sold the nearly 16-acre tract for $8 million to an LLC formed by the principals of Abernathy & Timberlake, the developer that brought us Augusta Exchange shopping center.

No formal plans for the center are on file, but the suburban Atlanta company said it plans to redevelop the center in the next two years.

BEAM ME UP – TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The owners of Beam’s Contracting Inc. and Grade South Inc. announced that, after 30 years in the business, they have handed the companies over to new management.

Scott Stephens, of Grovetown, has taken over as president and CEO, and Ronnie Herron, of Martinez, and Ricky Basey, of North Augusta, are vice presidents. Kevin Fleming, of Augusta, will be the corporate secretary, and Charles “Buddy” Rowland III, of Evans, has been appointed treasurer.

The company owners, Greg and Johnny Beam and Bob Bruce and Derrell Garnto, will make up the company’s board of directors and will continue to offer guidance and leadership to the new team, not that they need much, considering they have nearly 80 years of combined experience in the construction biz.

NO JOKE: Hey, did you hear the one about Warren County being named one of the state’s newest “Entrepreneur Friendly” counties?

According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, which bestows the designation, Warren County “has worked to develop an environment that is welcoming to small business and entrepreneurs.”

The state said 91 percent of Warren County’s 160 companies are small businesses with fewer than 20 employees.

MAKIN’ IT GREAT: Folks in south Augusta must really like pizza. I heard the new Pizza Hut on Tobacco Road was built because the next nearest one, about two miles away, has been the highest volume store in the 886-store group for the past three years.

UNVERIFIABLE FACT NO. 67: $43.5 million – the annual value of lost productivity in Augusta’s work force caused by waiting at train crossings.

ALL THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL DUDES (AND DUDETTES): The newly launched Young Professionals of Augusta organization, which had more than 70 people show up to its first meeting in November, this month collected 77 toys for the Toys for Tots program.

“We got a letter from the Marine Corps Reserve that said it would take them over four hours at a big-box retailer to receive the amount of toys we brought in one hour,” said the group’s president, Jonathan English.

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* Mr. Brigham is still confused as to why a call from Augusta to Aiken is long-distance while a call from Augusta to Savannah River Site – which is just as distant, if not more – is considered local. That makes two of us.