NEWS INFORMATION

ALAMEDA POWER & TELECOM
SOLICITING RESIDENT OPINIONS

ALAMEDA, Calif., March 7 2007 — Alameda Power & Telecom has announced that it is surveying residents to gather information on the possible addition of voice services to its telecommunications business line.
 
“We want to encourage everyone contacted to participate and provide candid assessments,” said General Manager Girish Balachandran.  “This is a very significant step in setting the future direction of Alameda Power & Telecom.”
 
Approximately 400 Alameda households will be called during the early evening hours over the next 2 to 3 weeks.  Respondents to the survey, who will be chosen at random, will be asked about their telephone usage, buying habits, current providers, long-distance service, cellular usage, satisfaction levels, and perceptions of providers.
 
“I want to thank each resident who responds to this important survey,” Balachandran added.  “No one likes their dinner or time with family interrupted, and we’ll try to keep this imposition as brief as possible.  This is, however, an opportunity to get critical input from our customer-owners.”
 
Balachandran continued, “No commitments have been made to any specific method of providing voice services.  If the Public Utilities Board authorizes development of telephone services, however, they likely will be carried via a telephone switching system, as opposed to a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (or VoIP) technology.  We’ll still be using our state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure, and our facilities will connect with the world outside of Alameda by established provider lines.”
 
Preliminary results of the survey may be reported to the Public Utilities Board as soon as its March meeting, scheduled for Monday, March 19, at 7:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers.  Board meetings are open to the public, as well as televised on Alameda Power & Telecom Cable Channel 15 and available on a long-term basis as webcasts from www.ci.alameda.ca.us/webcast/moreinfo.html
 
“The telecommunications business line faces significant financial and operational challenges,” Balachandran noted.  “Alameda Power & Telecom is a community-based business, and input from our customer-owners is vital in determining our future direction.
 
“In order to restore the telecommunications business line to financial health, a considerable number of financial and operational initiatives have been proposed.  The addition of voice services holds much promise, and evaluation of these services is a priority for us.”

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