The solution is to reduce the connection charges for low-income customers.

Under the plan, low-income customers would pay 3 percent of their income.

Among elderly and low-income customers, 75 percent would see their bills go up, the group said.

Revenue from the service tends to be low, because low-income customers do not typically run up large phone bills.

While that may have helped many low-income customers save money, there could be a heavy health cost.

He is afraid that in their attempt to reduce costs, utilities may cut back on things like service and programs to help low-income customers.

But advocates for low-income customers warn that other utilities could also try to eliminate such programs.

In Massachusetts, he said low-income customers qualify for rate reductions of up to 25 percent.

They would not affect about 500,000 low-income customers who pay as little as $1 a month for basic service.

It has also kept some elderly and low-income customers by providing special services to them.