The Telecommunications Commission will meet on January 25 to discuss proposals by the Bermuda Telephone Company to increase domestic charges.

Commission head Ellen Lim said: "We will meet to evaluate the material we have been given by BTC. A decision will be made after that.'' She said the meeting was arranged for the end of the month because telecom laws stated that 21 days had to pass following the publication of the plans.

Under the proposals, standard residential lines would cost $28 instead of $16 a month, backdated to January 1. That would go up to $34 on July 1.

BTC has warned $10 million could be lost and 100 jobs could be cut because of new Government directives requiring the company to reduce its fees to international carriers.

But the cost of overseas calls are coming down and BTC wants to recoup lost revenue by increasing on-Island charges.