November 23, 2005



Mr. Duane Ackerman, CEO
BellSouth Corporation
1155 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30309-3610

Re: An Open Letter to the CEO and Board of Directors of BellSouth

Mr. Ackerman,

The people of Lafayette, Louisiana have had enough! For the past 18 months your company has fought our city’s plans to build a state-of-the-art, 21st century Fiber to the Home system.

You fought us in the state legislature, you fought us in the state Public Service Commission and you fought us at the polls. Even after our citizens turned out to the ballot box on July 16th and an overwhelming majority voted in favor of passing the referendum to proceed with funding this project, your company has continued to block the will of this community with more lawsuits and challenges.

Just recently a decision in state district court supported Lafayette with a ruling against BellSouth’s legal challenges. It is now time for you to cease your tactics of legal appeals and further lawsuits designed to delay and derail our community’s plans for its future.

In light of the recent hurricanes that have ravaged our state, Lafayette is attempting to be part of the solution for rebuilding and reinvesting in our own future with our own money, not federal bailouts. We encourage BellSouth to invest its time and dollars in repairing its damaged infrastructure in those parts of our state that need it. Please participate in the rebuilding of our state, rather than preventing it.

In Lafayette it is time for you to acknowledge and allow new competition in the marketplace for telecommunications services. It is time to understand that your customers, the people of Lafayette, resent your interference and with a majority voice want you to know—ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!


Respectfully,



Joey Durel
City-Parish President