telephone charges.

And Hamilton lawyer Juliana Jack has written to The Royal Gazette calling for more public complaints to the Telecommunications Commission.

Now the Bermuda Telephone Company -- which plans to hike standard rates for line rental -- has set up a special hotline to explain their proposals to customers.

But the firm is unlikely to offer discounted bills to over-65s, even though the increases would wipe out last year's three percent increase on pensions.

Age Concern chairman Cecille Snaith-Simmons said the charity would now deliver its own submission to the Telecommunications Commission, who meet to discuss BTC's plans on January 25.

She said: "We are concerned because the telephone is the means of communication for seniors. Sometimes they can't travel because the bus service is inadequate and many certainly have difficulty walking.

"Elderly people use the phone as their primary means of communication and many stay on the phone for an hour or more.'' Mrs. Snaith-Simmons, a former administrator at the Packwood residential home in Somerset, added: "Many elderly people in homes have phones in their rooms.

"But families are already having to scrape together as much money as they can just to pay the residential fees, which are usually over $2,000 a month. They can barely afford that.

"Now they'd have to pay even more for a phone service. And let's face it, it's really nice to do something for your mum when she's in a home, like putting a phone in her room.'' Charity spokeswoman Janet Jackson added: "We're complaining as a body.

"So many of our seniors are housebound and a phone is vital to them. The phone is often their only social life.'' BTC has already warned it may have to lay off 100 staff to help recoup $10 million in lost revenue because of a Government directive to reduce fees to international carriers.

The cost of residential line rentals would jump from $16 a month to $28, backdated to January 1. The charge would increase to $34 on July 1.

BTC spokeswoman Karla Lacey-Minors said she understood public concerns because the increase would come in "one fell swoop''.

But she added: "We would be happy to discuss the reasons behind our rate application with anyone who had concerns or questions, and encourage them to call us on 225-5282.

Pensioners fume over BTC's rate hike environment, cannot provide a service at half its actual cost.

"If the rate decreases we have been directed to charge to the long distance carriers are passed onto the consumer by lower long distance charges, then the average customer will see no difference in their overall telephone bill if the monthly service charge goes up.'' Mrs. Snaith-Simmons added: "Not many of our elderly have a lot of overseas numbers to call. That's not really going to help them.'' One elderly woman wrote to The Royal Gazette pointing out that 1999 had been declared the Year of the Older Person.

She said: "When are the senior citizens of this country going to wake up to how they are being treated? "Does anybody really care? Is this the way we celebrate the Year of the Older Person?'' Lawyer Juliana Jack, who works for Mello Hollis Jones and Martin, said she was "disgusted'' at the proposals in her letter to the newspaper.

She added: "So much for the benefits of competition! And who will suffer? Naturally, the lower income Bermudian who has to pay the same basic charges as the high income earner.

"BTC says it will lose $10 million due to the cut in international rates -- $10 million in profit? "If you share my sentiments, write to the Telecommunications Commission before January 25 and tell them so. They are waiting to hear from the public.'' Pensioners fume over BTC's rate hike environment, cannot provide a service at half its actual cost.

"If the rate decreases we have been directed to charge to the long distance carriers are passed onto the consumer by lower long distance charges, then the average customer will see no difference in their overall telephone bill if the monthly service charge goes up.'' Mrs. Snaith-Simmons added: "Not many of our elderly have a lot of overseas numbers to call. That's not really going to help them.'' One elderly woman wrote to The Royal Gazette pointing out that 1999 had been declared the Year of the Older Person.

She said: "When are the senior citizens of this country going to wake up to how they are being treated? "Does anybody really care? Is this the way we celebrate the Year of the Older Person?'' Lawyer Juliana Jack, who works for Mello Hollis Jones and Martin, said she was "disgusted'' at the proposals in her letter to the newspaper.

She added: "So much for the benefits of competition! And who will suffer? Naturally, the lower income Bermudian who has to pay the same basic charges as the high income earner.

"BTC says it will lose $10 million due to the cut in international rates -- $10 million in profit? "If you share my sentiments, write to the Telecommunications Commission before January 25 and tell them so. They are waiting to hear from the public.'' `If the rate decreases we have been directed to charge the long distance carriers are passed on to the consumer... the average customer will see no difference in their overall telephone bill...' -- Karla Lacey Minors