The State - News from Jan. 17, 1989

Grants totaling $3 million will be awarded every year for the next six years by the California Public Utilities Commission to groups that participate in a new consumer education program on telephone service. The PUC ordered Pacific Bell’s shareholders to finance the program through the Telecommunications Education Trust, which is administered by the California Community Foundation in Los Angeles. The penalty was levied after the company admitted violating PUC rules in some of its sales practices. In some cases, the company pressured and misled customers to buy unwanted or unneeded features at extra cost. The foundation will offer a statewide series of workshops to groups interested in securing grants beginning Wednesday in Los Angeles, Thursday in Garden Grove and Friday in San Diego.