SPEAKOUT

Busy phone lines

DO YOU ever get disgusted because your cellular phone doesn't work between 8 and 10 p.m.? I do. I'm a businessman and need to be using my phone during that time, but it's virtually impossible. I talked several times to the Southwestern Bell Wireless folks, and it's not a problem from them. Theproblem lies with Southwestern Bell, the telephone company, which doesn't have enough land lines. Because of the Internet connections that pick up at 8 p.m. and because of the free night and weekends for the wireless folks, there are simply not enough telephone land lines to accommodate these calls. Anybody who's disgusted with this really ought to take 15 minutes to go through the process with Southwestern Bell to complain. Tell them it's 2000. They really need to keep up with technology. Ever since the college students have come back, you can't make a call. Southwestern Bell knew the kids were coming back but weren't prepared for it. So the consumers are the ones who suffer. I urge everybody to call Southwestern Bell and complain.