FCC MAY OVERSEE OPERATOR SERVICES

The House passed legislation Monday that would allow federal regulation of the prices charged by a new crop of operator services companies for long-distance calls. The bill would require the Federal Communications Commission to investigate the operator services industry's rates and determine if these companies dominate the market sufficiently to require regulation. The fees can be several times those charged for similar calls from a customer's home phone.

Critics say the 35 firms dominate in places such as schools, hotels, and airports.