GTE hikes payphone rates

Beginning May 1, users of payphone will have to shell out additional 10 cents over the current charge when the telecommunications company GTE Pacifica raises the rate from 25 cents to 35 cents.

David M. Rogers, general manager of GTE Pacifica, said the rate hike is necessary to peg the charge to the current cost of providing the local payphone service on the island.

In a brief letter to Timothy P. Villagomez, executive director of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, the telecommunication official defended the move as a step to deal with rising costs of doing business on the island.

According to Rogers, it has “increased dramatically over the years” and GTE Pacifica has not charged more than 25 cents since payphone service was installed on this island more than 10 years ago.

“Unfortunately we find it necessary to increase the charge in order to offset higher costs of providing and maintaining this service,” he said.