LEBANON — The final piece of the city's plan to offer phone service fell into place Tuesday night as City Council voted 6-0 for a five-year contract with Cincinnati Bell.

        “It's a huge step,” Councilman Mark Flick said.

        The city will provide the fiber-optic lines through its telecommunications system, and the phone company will provide the connection. Cincinnati Bell also will offer options such as call waiting and its Complete Connections package at an additional charge.

        Residents are eager for the service, which will stretch their local calling area from Dayton, Ohio, to Northern Kentucky and southeast Indiana.

        Basic service will cost residential customers about $28 a month. It will compete with current provider Sprint, which is considering extending its local calling area into Cincinnati.

        Sprint customers would pay about $27.50 a month under that company's new plan, but the calling area still would not be as extensive.

        The city, which already had authorized money for new equipment, expects to begin offering service late this year or early next year.

        Lebanon is eager to add phone service in hopes it will help pay back the $13 million debt the telecommunications system has racked up, Mr. Flick said.

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