LEBANON — City officials will present City Council with legislation tonightto set the monthly rate for Lebanon's pioneering local telephone service at $27.95.

        That will make residents' cost for the city-owned service $28.79 including tax, compared with $27.71 through long-time local provider Sprint. Businesses will pay $56.60 a month for basic service, compared with $53.27 for Sprint.

        Council will likely vote on the proposal April 23. The city has a waiting list of more than 900 customers and expects to start service in June, according to Telecommunications Director Jim Baldwin.

        Lebanon is the only city in Greater Cincinnati to have its own telecommunications system, which got off the ground with cable television three years ago and now offers high-speed Internet access as well. Officials hope the phone service — being done in partnership with Cincinnati Bell — will bring in enough money to start paying on the debt created by the $13 million system.

        It'll be good for residents, too, Councilman Norm Dreyer predicted.

        “Customers can now have all their telecommunications bundled into one bill — cable, Internet and phone,” he said.

        A package of digital cable TV, high-speed Internet and phone service will run residents $94.99 a month under the proposed fee structure, and all of that plus Cincinnati Bell's Complete Connections phone extras will total 109.99.

        Customers also will be able to get Cincinnati Bell wireless phone service and home and business security systems through the city.

        One of the city's main sell ing points is that it will have a wider local calling area than Sprint.

Police union OKs profiling suit deal
Settlement provisions
Background on issues, settlement
City trying to raise $600,000 for lawyers
Violence part of daily life in Over-the-Rhine
Air security scare delays some flights
Airport security switches to new firm
Hunt goes on for missing Ala. man
PULFER: Thanks, farewell to Monte
RADEL: Cop gets second chance to help kids
Store manager shot dead in robbery
Suspect indicted on eight rape counts
Two students cited for volunteering
City seeking $1M for cement site
Doctor to head learning program
Drug prevention conference expected to draw 4,000 youths
Good News: Surgery gives man new role
Holocaust lesson for students
Lessons in paper-folding introduce children to Asian arts
Local Digest
Trees preserved for centuries
Trial opens in abuse case
Charged man suspected in heist
City center planners off to Denver
Kids study Deerfield sprawl
Lebanon to propose new phone rates
Butler-Warren recreation notes
Second-grader has best penmanship in state
Victim's children sue detective
Nine Cleveland priests suspended on sex abuse allegations
Traficant fate in jury's hands
Unmarked graves at building site baffle Frankfort