20051118reconsideration order no 29914.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
November 18, 2005
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF CITIZENS
TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY OF
IDAHO DBA FRONTIER
COMMUNICATIONS OF IDAHO'S TARIFF
ADVICE NO. ID-05-06 TO IMPLEMENT
ELECTRONIC BILLING AND PAYMENT
SERVICE FOR RESIDENTIAL
CUSTOMERS.
CASE NO. CTC- T -05-
ORDER NO. 29914
On October 17, 2005 , the Commission issued Order No. 29893 conditionally
approving Citizens Telecommunications Company of Idaho dba Frontier Communications of
Idaho s (Frontier) Tariff Advice No. ID-05-06. As proposed by the Company, residential
customers could receive and pay their monthly Frontier telecommunications bills on-line. After
two billing cycles, the Company would discontinue mailing paper bills to customers subscribing
to the electronic payment option. Customers desiring to receive both paper bills and electronic
bills after the two billing cycles would be charged $2.00 per month for the paper bills. In Order
No. 29893, the Commission approved the new service but disallowed the $2.00 monthly charge.
On October 25, 2005, Frontier filed a timely Petition for Reconsideration. The
Company asked that the Commission reconsider its decision prohibiting the Company from
imposing the $2.00 monthly fee. After reviewing the record in this case, the Commission grants
reconsideration and amends our prior Order as set out in greater detail below.
THE TARIFF ADVICE
Frontier proposed to offer residential customers a new service called Electronic Bill
Presentment and Payment. Participating customers receive an e-mail notifying them of when
their monthly bills are available to be viewed on-line via Frontier s website. The electronic bill
includes the same information as currently provided to customers on their paper bills as well as
billing messages and inserts normally included with the paper bills. After registering for the
electronic billing service, customers would receive both paper and electronic bills for two billing
cycles. After the two billing cycles, customers continuing with the service would no longer
receive their monthly paper bills. Conversely, customers who desire to receive both paper bills
and electronic bills would be charged $2.00 per month.
ORDER NO. 29914
As noted above, the Commission approved the new service but prohibited the $2.
monthly charge. The Commission found that imposing the $2.00 monthly fee after two billing
cycles may not allow sufficient time for customers to adequately determine whether they no
longer wish to receive paper bills.
RECONSIDERATION
In its Petition for Reconsideration, Frontier urged the Commission to reconsider its
denial of the monthly fee. The Company pointed out that the electronic billing service was an
optional service for residential customers and many of the participating customers can printout
their monthly bills. It also maintained that customers who choose to receive both the paper and
electronic bill "will impose additional costs on Frontier." Petition at 3. Frontier noted that none
of the other 22 states where this service is now offered have deleted the $2.00 charge.
Consequently, the Company will incur substantial costs to make Idaho-specific modifications to
its nationwide billing system.
DISCUSSION
After reviewing Frontier s Petition, we grant reconsideration and allow the Company
to charge the $2.00 monthly fee after two months. Although we continue to have some concerns
regarding the short trial period, we recognize that most residential customers availing themselves
of this optional service should be able to print a copy of the monthly bill on their home
computer. Only those customers requesting both a paper bill and an electronic bill will be
charged. Consequently, we amend that portion of Order No. 29893 regarding the $2.00 monthly
charge pursuant to Idaho Code ~ 61-624.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Frontier s Petition for Reconsideration is granted.
The Commission s Order No. 29893 is amended to allow Frontier to charge the $2.00 monthly
fee for those customers asking for both paper and electronic bills after two months.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION. Any party aggrieved by
this Order or other final Orders previously issued in this Case No. CTC- T -05-4 may appeal to the
Supreme Court of Idaho pursuant to the Public Utilities Law and the Idaho Appellate Rules. See
Idaho Code ~ 61-627.
ORDER NO. 29914
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this /8f1-.
day of November 2005.
ATTEST:
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Je D. Je ell
Co mISSIon Secretary
bls/O:CTC-05-04 dh2
ORDER NO. 29914
ANDER, PRESIDENT
MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER