19991028Comments.doc

WELDON STUTZMAN
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone]
IDAHO BAR NO. 3283

Street Address for Express Mail:
472 W. WASHINGTON
BOISE, IDAHO 83702-5983

Attorney for the Commission Staff

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF AVISTA COMMUNICATIONS OF IDAHO INC. FOR A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY TO PROVIDE LOCAL EXCHANGE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES. )
)
)
)
)
)
CASE NO. AVC-T-99-1

COMMENTS OF THE COMMISSION STAFF

COMES NOW the Staff of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, by and through its Attorney of record, Weldon B. Stutzman, Deputy Attorney General, in response to Order No. 28175, the Notice of Application and Notice of Modified Procedure in Case No. AVC-T-99-1 issued on October 13, 1999, submits the following comments.
Avista Communications of Idaho, Inc. filed a request to amend its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to provide basic local exchange service throughout the state of Idaho, pursuant to Idaho Code, §61-526 – 61-528.
Avista is a Washington Corporation and competitive local exchange carrier that provides local exchange service to small and large businesses and provides intraLATA telecommunication service to customers in the Pacific Northwest. In December 1998, this Commission issued Certificate #352 to One Eighty Communications, Inc. (GNR-T-98-16, Order No. 27806). After Avista purchased One Eighty Communications, Inc. this certificate was transferred to Avista Corporation in May 1999. Under this certificate, Avista is authorized to provide local exchange service in the areas of the state served by U S WEST Communications, Inc. Avista seeks authority to expand its serving area to include the areas of the state served by GTE Northwest and Citizens.
Avista’s current tariff on file with this Commission covers the provision of business single line service, DID trunks, ISDN and Switched Access. Avista does not believe its price list requires any changes to conform to its expanded service area. Staff agrees, with the exception of the map that should be included. Perusal of its current tariff reveals that Avista does not have a map on file. Staff recommends that upon issuance of an expanded Certificate, Avista be required to amend its price list to include a map, or to amend its tariff to include a description of the areas where it will provide service.
With this one condition, Staff recommends approval of the proposed expansion of Avista’s service area.

Respectfully submitted this day of October 1999.

_______________________________
Weldon Stutzman
Deputy Attorney General

Technical Staff: Birdelle Brown

BB:va:word:u:umisc/comments/avct991.wsbb.doc

COMMENTS OF THE
COMMISSION STAFF 1 OCTOBER 28, 1999