AT&T Asks To Stop Distributing White Pages

DAVID TWIDDY

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — With more and more people relying solely on cell phones and looking up phone numbers online, AT&T Inc. wants to stop delivering paper copies of its residential telephone directories in parts of Missouri.

The Missouri Public Service Commission, which oversees telephone companies and utilities, said Tuesday that AT&T has requested that regulators waive a state rule requiring the telephone provider to deliver the white pages to homes and businesses in Kansas City and St. Louis.

AT&T serves about 1 million access lines in Missouri but doesn't provide a breakdown of how many of those are in the two cities, said company spokesman Kerry Hibbs.

If the PSC approves the change, customers in both markets could still receive a free copy of the white pages if they specifically requested one. They would also continue to receive a copy of the business yellow pages, which also include business white listings and governmental phone listings.

AT&T would continue distributing both residential and business directories to customers outside Kansas City and St. Louis.