20191022final_order_no_34463.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
October 22,2019
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF )CUSTER TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE,)CASE NO.CUS-T-19-02
INC.FOR AMENDMENT OF ITS )CERTIFICATED SERVICE AREA )ORDER NO.34463
BOUNDARY )
On August 27,2019,Custer Telephone Cooperative,Inc.(the Company)petitioned the
Commission for an order amending the service area boundary described in the Company's
Certificate No.308.On September 13,2019,the Commission issued a Notice of Petition and
Notice of Modified Procedure.Order No.34438.Commission Staff filed the only comments,and
the Company did not file reply comments.
Having reviewed the record,we enter this Order granting the Company's Petition.
THE PETITION
The Company is a mutual nonprofittelephone corporation organized under Idaho law,
with its principal place of business in Challis,Idaho.The Company provides basic local exchange
telecommunications services,message telecommunication service,wide area telecommunications
service,access services to interexchange carriers,special access services,broadband,and other
telecommunications services that its customers may request or require.
The Commission issued Certificate No.308 to the Company in 1989.Order No.22519.
In 2007,the Company's Certificate was amended to add new areas to its certificated service area.
See Order Nos.30290 and 30291.The Company requests another amendment to the Certificate to
correct the certificated service areas so they accurately reflect the Company's actual service areas.
The Company states it has always served the areas within the corrected boundaries,and that the
areas the Company is petitioning to add to its certificated service area are not within the service
area boundaries of any other certificated telecommunications carrier.
The Company states the requested Certificate amendment will affect no other
certificated telephone carrier's service area boundary,and that the corrected boundaries are not
near and will not interfere with any other utility's existing lines,plants,or systems.
The Company's Petition includes attached copies of the Company's Certificate as
amended,illustrations depicting the Company's actual service area,and a legal description for
each area served by the Company but not included in its certificated service area.The Company
ORDER NO.34463 1
asks the Commission to grant an amendment to the Certificate that incorporates the boundary
correction adjustments.
STAFF COMMENTS
Staff recommended the Commission grant the Company's Petition.Staff verified that
the boundary of the Company's new service area does not overlap with the service area of any
Title 61 or certified telephonecarrier.Staff noted that the proposed service area boundaryincludes
unserved territory."Staff believes it is in the public interest to allow the Company to continue to
service the current and future customers in the service area."Staff Comments at 2.
DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS
Based on our review of the record,including the Company's Petition and Staff's
comments,we find it is in the public interest to correct the service area boundaries in Certificate
No.308 to accurately reflect the Company's actual service areas.We find it fair,just,and
reasonable to grant the Company's Petition.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Company's Petition is granted.The Company's
Certificate shall be amended to correct the certificated boundary areas as described in the Petition.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER.Any person interested in this order (or in issues finally
decided by this order)may petition for reconsideration within twenty-one (21)days of the service
date of this order with regard to any matter decided in this order.Within seven (7)days after any
person has petitioned for reconsideration,any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration.
See Idaho Code §§61-626 and 62-619.
ORDER NO.34463 2
DONE by order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise,Idaho this 27
day of October,2019.
PAUL K A ,PRESIDENT
KRIS l1NE RAPER,IONER
ERIC ANDERSON,COMMISSIONER
Diane M.HaniaÁ
Commission Secretary
I:\Legal\TELEPHONE\CUS-T-19-02\Orders\CUSTl902final mh.doc
ORDER NO.34463 3