Qwest Communications International Inc. plans to change a recorded message that blames the news media for a flood of calls from customers concerned about their bills.
    The Denver-based phone giant accidentally billed some cell phone users up to $200 a minute this month. People calling about their bills jammed Qwest's customer service number, and one man said he spent an hour and 45 minutes on hold Tuesday.
    A recorded message said the tide of calls and the delays were "due to the high level of media coverage our billing issues have received."
    Qwest spokeswoman Barbara Faulhaber said Wednesday the message would be changed. "We had no intention whatsoever to blame the media," she said. "We take full responsibility for this."
    The message had not been changed by Wednesday afternoon. Qwest said last week a computer problem resulted in faulty bills being sent to about 14,000 people in its 14-state region, or 1.4 percent of its wireless customers. Faulhaber said news reports about the problem prompted calls from some customers who weren't affected.
    Romy O'Daniel of Denver, who received an erroneous $1,209 cell phone bill, spent 45 minutes on hold when he called Qwest customer service Monday before hanging up. He said he waited an hour and 45 minutes on hold Tuesday before he was connected to a representative.
    Faulhaber said the delays were 12 to 15 minutes.
   
   Steakhouse HQ Coming
    The Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse restaurant chain is moving its corporate headquarters from Denver to Salt Lake City, President Ivan Utrera said.
    The move to a facility at 1111 Brickyard Road involves all of the administrative and management functions for the 5-year-old chain, which operates restaurants where gaucho waiters rove from table to table offering a variety of meats. In all, about 10 people will relocate.
    Utrera, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a graduate of Brigham Young University, said the move reflects the success of the chain's two Utah restaurants in Salt Lake City and Orem. The restaurants -- the newest in the chain -- are being used as a showcase to potential investors and franchisees.
   
   Boyer Plan Rejected
    The Boyer Co. will have to redesign its planned parking lot west of the Gateway project to win Salt Lake City's support.
    The city Planning Commission has rejected the company's application for a conditional use permit to build an overflow parking lot for the retail and entertainment district, but planning director Stephen Goldsmith said the city will review a redesigned plan. The parking lot between 500 West and 600 West would provide temporary parking for 600 cars until the block is developed.
    Mayor Rocky Anderson objected to the original plan because the city is spending several million dollars in beautification funds to build mid-street parks on 500 West. He said a parking lot bumping up against those park blocks would cheapen the appearance.
   

Salt Lake Tribune

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001