>
PORT ANGELES — The City Council has endorsed a plan by Qwest Communications to enter the long-distance telephone business.
The company, formerly U S West, has been seeking federal and state approval to offer long-distance service on the Peninsula and around its 14-state territory.
Qwest officials believe the company has met the requirements of the 1996 Telecommunications Act that will allow it to enter the long distance-market later this year.
The City Council resolution approved Tuesday encourages competition.
It states that the company’s entry into the market would increase “not only the level of long-distance competition, but also the amount of competition for and investment in other telecommunications services.”
This full report appears in today’s Peninsula Daily News, on sale throughout Clallam and Jefferson counties. Or click on “Subscribe” to order your copy via U.S. mail.