20150812Comments.pdf

DAPHNE HUANG
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERALIDAH.,UBLICUTILITIESC'MMISSI'N :;i rr'l; :.i rilli:tt0
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone]
IDAHO BAR NO. 8370
Street Address for Express Mail:
472 W . WASHINGTON
BOISE, IDAHO 83702-5918
Attomey for the Commission Staff
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF FARMERS MUTUAL )
TELECOM, INC'S APPLICATION FOR A ) CASE NO. FMU-T-15-01
CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE )
AND NECESSITY. ) COVTMENTS OF THE
) COIvTMISSION STAFF
)
)
COMES NOW the Staff of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, by and through its
attorney of record, Daphne Huang, Deputy Attorney General, and submits the following
comments.
BACKGROUND
On June 10,2015, Farmers Mutual Telecom, Inc. ("Farmers" or "Company") applied to
the Commission for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to provide basic
local exchange service as a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) in Idaho pursuant to
IDAPA 31.01 .01.1 14 and Commission Order No. 26665.
STAFF COMMENTS AUGUST 12,2OI5
STAFF REVIEW
Farmers is an Idaho corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Farmers Mutual Telephone
Company, and is authorized to do business in Idaho. Application at 1 Farmers provided it's
Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of State, as well as
financial information which it asserts is exempt from public disclosure pursuant to Rule 67.
Exhibits 1-3; IDAPA 3l.01.01.067. Farmers' principal business address is listed as 319 SW 3'd
Street, P.O. Box 1030, Fruitland, ID 83619. Id. at2. The Company also provided its registered
agent for service in Idaho as Reece M. Hrizuk, l5l I N. Whitley Drive, Fruitland, ID 83619. Id.
Farmers is a full-service telecommunications company and proposes to offer "Dialtone,
Local, and Long Distance calling service; ISP services; Hosted PBX, Fire and Security services;
Special Access; [and] Computer Repair and Virus Cleanup services as a CLEC" throughout the
State of Idaho. Id. at I and 3. With the Application, Farmers includes an illustrative tariff listing
service rates and charges, as well as rules and regulations. Revised Exhibit 4.
Farmers seeks authority to provide basic local exchange service in competition with
Centurylink, in Centurylink's service areas. Id. at3. Farmers states it "has reviewed all of the
Commission rules and agrees to comply with them, unless otherwise ordered." Id. at 4.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff has reviewed Farmerso Application for a CPCN and believes the Company
understands and agrees to comply with the Commission rules and requirements. Based on this
review, Staff believes Farmers' Application fulfills the requirements of the Commission Rules and
Procedural Order No. 26664. Staff believes Farmers possesses the requisite financial, managerial,
and technical qualifications necessary to operate as a provider of telecommunications services.
Thus, Staff recommends approval of the Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity subject to the following conditions:
1. Farmers shall comply with number pooling and reporting requirements of the North
American Numbering Plan Administrator, as set forth in Commission Order No. 30425;
2. Farmers shall provide necessary reports, and contributions as appropriate to the Idaho
Universal Service Fund, Idaho Telecommunications Relay System, Idaho Telecommunications
Service Assistance Program, and comply with all future reporting requirements deemed
appropriate by the Commission for competitive telecommunications providers;
STAFF COMMENTS AUGUST 12,2015
3. Prior to issuance of the Certificate, Farmers shall file a final price list outlining all its
rates, terms and conditions with the Commission; and
4. Farmers will relinquish its Certificate and all telephone numbers if, within one year of
issuance of a CPCN, the Company is not providing local exchange telecommunications services in
Idaho.
Respecttully submitted this Ot day of August 2015,
Technical Staff: Grace Seaman
i:umisc:commentVfrnutl 5. I djhgs commonts
Deputy Attomey General
STAFF COMMENTS AUGUST I2,2OI5
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I HAVE THIS 12TH DAY OF AUGUST 2015,
SERVED THE FOREGOING COMMENTS OF THE COMMISSION STAFtr', IN
CASE NO. FMU.T.I5-01, BY MAILING A COPY THEREOF, POSTAGE PREPAID,
TO THE FOLLOWING:
DANIEL E GREIG
FARMERS MUTUAL TELECOM
319 SW 3m ST
PO BOX 1030
FRUITLAND ID 83619
EMAIL: Dan(EFMTelecom.com
MOLLY O'LEARI
BIZCOUNSELOR LAW
1775W STATE ST #150
BOISE TD 83702
EMAIL: [e-mail]
SECRETAR
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE