BOARDS PICKED FOR MEETINGS ACROSS STATE

Community advisory boards are being formed throughout Missouri during a series of meetings being conducted by Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. to discuss plans to bring the "information superhighway" to areas throughout the state.

"These boards will be an important part in the bringing of optic technology in their areas," said Craig Felzein, Southwestern Bell Telephone area manager. "The boards will ultimately make recommendations to SWBT on what it sees as the best and most beneficial uses of the technology."

Southwest Bell has committed to invest a minimum of $1.1 billion over the next four years in Missouri in accordance with an agreement with the Missouri Public Service Commission and the Office of Public Counsel.

A big portion of that investment is to insure that a fiber-optic network links up to 300 schools and hospitals during the four-year period.

"Part of the promise is a $35 million annual investment to insure that a fiber network links up 75 schools and hospitals each year over the next four years," Felzein said.

Advisory boards have been selected in Cape Girardeau County, north Scott County and the Delta area, Ste. Genevieve and Perry counties, and Madison and St. Francois counties.

"A total of 40 boards will be selected statewide," Felzein said. "This includes metropolitan areas and the most rural sections of the state. A dozen boards will be selected in Southeast Missouri."

"It's important that the advisory board be the very best it can be," said Donna Burk, Bell manager at Sikeston, who is among area managers who are establishing advisory boards in the Southeast Missouri area.

"There is no set number for board membership" Felzein said, and some boards may have as few as 20. Others may run to 40.

Thirty-three members were named in Cape Girardeau County, and 30 were selected in north Scott County and Delta. They include representatives from cities, schools, law enforcement agencies, businesses, health and other interests.

Southwestern Bell has brought fiber-optic technology to Missouri since 1983, when it laid the state's first six sheath miles of fiber. Today, Bell has more than 4,117 sheath miles in Missouri.

"One of the first things the company will do is bring fiber optics to all the central offices in that state," Burk said. "When that is complete, we'll start looking to our advisory boards to determine their interests."

Bell engineering people have been working on getting fiber optics to the central offices. Several offices, including Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Poplar Bluff, Kennett and Caruthersville are already fiber connected, Burk said.

Procedures are being developed that will allow hospitals and schools to request the fiber deployment.

The time it takes to put schools and hospitals on line will depend a lot on the schools and hospitals, which must make arrangements with Bell.

The new fiber-optic network will allow Missouri customers to receive benefits of interactive video services to bring educational and health-care services to schools, hospitals and businesses.

Under Bell's agreement with the state, Bell will freeze rates through Dec. 31, 1998. The agreement requires the company to invest no less than $275 million a year for capital improvements over four years, which includes fiber-optic connections between all Southwestern Bell offices; fiber-optic connections to the doorstep of up to 75 schools and hospital each year; and five "telecommunication centers" to be announced later.

The cost to the school or hospital could range between $25,000 and $50,000 to equip a room, with monitor, soundproofing and computer equipment.