In April, my office and the S. C. Cable Television Association reached a settlement with BellSouth on litigation concerning the level of the company's earnings during the years 1992, 1993, and 1994.  Under the terms of the settlement, BellSouth agreed to refund a total of $80 million to customers.   Beginning in mid August, BellSouth began to make refunds to its current customers who were customers during those three years in the form of credits to their bills.   This process was to have been completed by mid September.  Customers who were customers during all of those three years received a bill credit of a little less than $54 .

    Customers who were provided local telephone service by BellSouth during those three years, but are no longer customers can now write the company to claim their refund. In order to be considered to have received service during 1992, the customer must have been in service on December 25, 1992. For 1993, the date is November 26, 1993; and for 1994, the date is December 30, 1994.

    Former BellSouth customers who have since disconnected, but were served on these dates, must take the following action to receive a refund.  Former customers whose service was disconnected on or after January 1, 1997 will automatically have a refund mailed to them.  Former customers whose service was disconnected on or before December 31, 1996 must submit a written claim.  The written claim should include the following information:

Billing name at the time of service
Billing address at time of service
Telephone number at time of service
Current name
Current mailing address
Current telephone number (including area code) of the customer requesting refund

The request should be mailed to:

BellSouth
P. O. Box 830617
600 North 19th Street
Birmingham, AL 35283-0617