<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:SimSun;
panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"\@SimSun";
panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
p.MsoListNumber, li.MsoListNumber, div.MsoListNumber
{mso-style-priority:99;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.25in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal;
color:black;}
span.EmailStyle23
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:-120;
mso-list-type:simple;
mso-list-template-ids:-178348354;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-style-link:"List Number";
mso-level-tab-stop:.25in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.25in;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:965236411;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-232368252 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>You may also try 800-FREE-411 (373-3411). I think there are others as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Debbie<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Md-sligo [mailto:md-sligo-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Reyazuddin, Yasmin<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, October 18, 2013 3:18 PM<br><b>To:</b> Sligo Creek Chapter list, NFB of Maryland; NFB of Maryland e-mail list<br><b>Subject:</b> [Md-sligo] FW: Directory Assistance/ Maryland Office of People's Counsel's Alert<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='color:#1F497D'>Maryland Office of People’s Counsel<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='color:#1F497D'>ALERT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='color:#1F497D'>Verizon Reduces Free Directory Assistance Calls from 4 to 2 Calls<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><u><span style='color:#1F497D'>Effective October 16, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><u><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt'>Verizon Maryland has reduced the number of free directory assistance calls from 4 to 2 calls per month effective October 16, 2013 for landline (wired) telephone service. <b>Each directory assistance call above 2 calls per month will cost $1.99 per call. </b>This change may impact your clients, including Lifeline customers, if they rely on landline service and 411 Directory Assistance from Verizon.<b><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Company took this action after a new law went into effect on October 1, 2013 permitting Verizon to do this and preventing the Commission from denying the call reduction. The law was passed after OPC successfully opposed this change in two cases heard by the Public Service Commission.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt'>OPC had opposed this change for a simple reason. Even in this age of smart phones and broadband access, adults who are older or with lower incomes will be disproportionately impacted by this bill, since they are more likely than other adults to rely on landline phones and have the need for directory assistance. They will now be subject to additional expenses if they make more than two calls per month.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt'>These are some options for customers to obtain free Directory Assistance information:<o:p></o:p></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'>Internet: <a href="http://www.verizon.com/white">www.verizon.com/white</a> <o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'>Hard copy residential directory: Call 800-888-8448 to obtain a paper or CD-ROM version of the white pages.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'>Physical or visual disabilities: Verizon cannot charge for directory assistance when these disabilities prevent a customer from using a telephone directory. If a customer has such disabilities, she should contact Verizon to get this restriction in the customer’s record.<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:.5in'>If the customer with disabilities does not get a satisfactory response from Verizon, she should contact the Public Service Commission to make a complaint at 800-735-0474 or 800-735-2258 (TTY/Voice).<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>OPC also recommends that cell phone users without data plans should check their cell phone plans for the cost of directory assistance calls charged by their cell phone providers. <span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Yasmin Reyazuddin <br>Aging & Disability Services <br>Montgomery County Government <br>Department of Health & Human Services <br>401 Hungerford Drive (3rd floor) <br>Rockville MD 20850 <br>240-777-0311 (MC311) <br>240-777-1556 (personal) <br>240-777-1495 (fax) <br>office hours 8:30 am 5:00 pm <br>Languages English, Hindi, Urdu, Braille <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>This message may contain protected health information or other information that is confidential or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by return mail and destroy any copies of this material. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Thank you.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>