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3.
In April this year, the Telephone Company
submitted an application to increase its tariffs by an
average of 10% in order to cover increased operating costs
and to enable it to maintain its high standard of service.
The application has been thoroughly examined and the items
in the Resolution now before Council are considered to be
justified.
4.
The major items include increased rentals for
leased circuits and private payphones and increased
connection and removal charges. The effect on ordinary
business and residential subscribers is modest: the monthly
cost of a single business telephone will be increased from
$64 to $71 and for a single residential telephone from $43
to $48. The charges for private Automatic Branch Exchange
extensions and internal extensions are to be reduced.
5.
The Resolution proposes for the new charges, the
first increase for over two and a half years, to take effect
from 1 October 1985. I am sure that the public will be
pleased to know that, based on current projections, there is
unlikely to be any requirement for further increases until
1988.
6.
Sir, I beg to move.