OTTAWA — Ottawa and Franklin County officials say the company that provides most of the telephone service for the area isn’t hearing them now. AT&T hasn’t modernized a leu switch and other network equipment at Ottawa in years and that’s becoming a drag on economic development because wireless and other high-tech services aren’t available, said county administrator Lisa Johnson and Ottawa city manager Richard Nienstedt said. AT&T has been pressuring legislators to deregulate the company‘s operations in Kansas. That could be as disastrous to the public as the deregulation of cable TV was to the public and cities, Nienstedt said. The city and county have been working with state Sen. Pat Apple, R-Louisburg, who is also chair of the Senate Utilities Committee, to force the utility to start making improvements to its system.
Thursday, Dec. 16, 10:30 p.m.
