POULSBO — North End residents may have noticed a change in their monthly phone bills as the Sprint name and logo have been replaced with Embarq.

After Sprint and Nextel merged in February 2004, the decision was made to separate the local communications division into its own company, resulting in Embarq’s birth in February 2006.

Embarq chairman and CEO Dan Hesse said most customers won’t notice any changes in their billing statements, but that doesn’t mean changes aren’t underway.

“For our customers who don’t want anything to change, it won’t,” Hesse said. “They’ll still have the same numbers to call, and they’ll deal with the same people.”

However, for customers wanting to combine their land line, wireless phone and Internet service into a single package, Embarq can do just that, he said.

“We can take care of everything they do and they can get a better value from us,” Hesse said. “No one had done that before.”

In the past, larger companies received more attention from Sprint because it is a nationwide company, but since Embarq is focused on only 5 percent of the U.S. market, Hesse said that will change.

“Our small- and mid-sized customers will begin to see more personal service and we’re going to be tailoring our services to meet their needs,” he said.

Customers currently under contract with Sprint can change their contracts over to Embarq and will save money in the process, he said.

As Poulsbo continues to grow and expand, Hesse said Embarq is committed to making the capital investments to provide the infrastructure to keep pace with that growth and provide outstanding service to all of its customers.

The new company’s commitment extends beyond just providing communications services, and Hesse said he expects employees to become more involved in the community.

“One of my expectations of everyone in the company is that they be involved in the community,” Hesse said.

In the past, the company has made donations to North Kitsap Fishline for new computers and other needs, has aided with decorating downtown for the holiday season and participated in other activities throughout the city, said local public affairs manager Jeffrey Dennison.

Embarq’s commitment to the community is welcomed news to local businesses, said Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce director Stuart Leidner.

“They’re going to get the advantage of having a more direct and personal approach in this market,” Leidner said.

The area’s telecommunications needs are rapidly expanding, and Embarq’s commitment provides the opportunity to build the network needed to meet those needs for all businesses, Leidner said.