CHATTANOOGA (AP) - Lawsuits claiming that BellSouth owes millions in unpaid fees to ten 911 districts in Tennessee can move forward.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports a federal judge this week declined a request by BellSouth to dismiss suits filed by 911 districts in: Hamilton, Blount, Bedford, Bradley, Coffee, Cheatham, Giles, Roane, Franklin and Knox counties.
The suits claim that Bellsouth did not collect certain fees that it is required to pass along to 911 operations. They claim the utility's failure to collect was intentional, done in order to give Bell South a competitive advantage when bidding on county phone service.
BellSouth has declined to comment on the litigation.
Four other Tennessee counties have received settlements from BellSouth over similar claims.
The case is scheduled for trial in September 2013.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
