Survey of Small Businesses' Reactions to Changes in the Costs of Telephone Service
RCED-85-106: Published: May 22, 1985. Publicly Released: May 24, 1985.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO surveyed small businesses on their reactions to changes in the cost of their telephone service. The survey was undertaken to assist the House Committee on Small Business: Telephone Task Force's efforts to obtain information on how recent judicial and regulatory decisions dealing with the telephone industry were affecting small businesses.
GAO reviewed the basic methodology used by Bell Communications Research, Inc. in its 1984 report on the impact of rate changes on small business and found that the populations from which the sample was drawn did not include many small businesses and, therefore, was not representative of all small businesses. GAO noted limitations in the comprehensiveness of the population sampled and found a need for information on sample variances so that the reliability of the data presented could be evaluated. GAO found that: (1) one-fourth of the small businesses represented in the survey reported that monthly telephone bills had increased by more than 25 percent; (2) constant or increased monthly charges were also reported for individual components of bills, including local and long-distance services and equipment leasing; (3) small businesses' combined intrastate and interstate long-distance costs had increased; and (4) about 72 percent of the businesses with more than one telephone line were not aware of the Federal Communications Commission's end-user access charge decision that increased local service telephone costs for multi-line businesses.
Feb 26, 2021
-
Servicemember Rights:
Mandatory Arbitration Clauses Have Affected Some Employment and Consumer Claims but the Extent of Their Effects is UnknownGAO-21-221: Published: Feb 26, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 26, 2021.
Feb 18, 2021
-
Workplace Safety and Health:
Actions Needed to Improve Reporting of Summary Injury and Illness DataGAO-21-122: Published: Jan 27, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 18, 2021.
Jan 27, 2021
-
Military Spouse Employment:
DOD Should Continue Assessing State Licensing Practices and Increase Awareness of ResourcesGAO-21-193: Published: Jan 27, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 27, 2021.
Oct 19, 2020
-
Fair Labor Standards Act:
Observations on the Effects of the Home Care RuleGAO-21-72: Published: Oct 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 19, 2020.
Jun 22, 2020
-
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act:
Additional DOL Actions Needed to Help States and Employers Address Substance Use DisorderGAO-20-337: Published: May 21, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 22, 2020.
Apr 14, 2020
-
Job Corps:
DOL Should Provide Greater Transparency in Communicating Its Rationale for Closure DecisionsGAO-20-240R: Published: Apr 14, 2020. Publicly Released: Apr 14, 2020.
Feb 14, 2020
-
National Mediation Board:
Additional Actions Needed to Fully Implement Prior GAO Recommendations and Improve Agency Management and OversightGAO-20-236: Published: Feb 14, 2020. Publicly Released: Feb 14, 2020.
Feb 10, 2020
-
National Weather Service:
Information on Contractor Selection and Work Performed for Its Operations and Workforce Analysis ProjectGAO-20-271R: Published: Jan 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Feb 10, 2020.
Sep 9, 2019
-
Job Corps:
Actions Needed to Improve Planning for Center Operation ContractsGAO-19-326: Published: Aug 8, 2019. Publicly Released: Sep 9, 2019.
Apr 10, 2019
-
Priority Open Recommendations:
Department of LaborGAO-19-395SP: Published: Apr 3, 2019. Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2019.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here