CBT asks Supreme Court to determine who has authority to grant local telephone competition.

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 1995--In a filing with the Ohio Supreme Court, Cincinnati Bell Telephone today asked the court to rule on who has the authority to introduce local telephone competition -- the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) or the Ohio General Assembly.

"The law clearly spells out the actions which must be taken when policy changes are proposed that will affect consumers," said Barbara J. Stonebraker, Senior Vice President -- Cincinnati Bell Telephone.

The company's Supreme Court filing is the next step in the PUCO appeal process, as determined by the Ohio Revised Code. This summer, the PUCO granted Time Warner Communications of Ohio certification to provide local telephone service in 37 Ohio counties, including those served by CBT.

Since that time, CBT has requested that the PUCO reconsider the certification, based on the belief that the Commission does not have the legal authority to grant such certification. The PUCO denied that request in October.

Cincinnati Bell Telephone provides modern telecommunications products and service in a three-state area including portions of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. The company has 900,000 access lines and has customers in an area covering more than 2,400 square miles.

CONTACT: Cincinnati Bell Telephone, Cincinnati

Dick Hammersmith, 513/397-1050