19980521Order No 27537.doc

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE TARIFF ADVICE SUBMITTED BY FREMONT TELCOM COMPANY TO AMEND ITS SUSPENSION OF LOCAL SERVICE TARIFF.
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CASE NO. FRET981

ORDER NO. 27537

On May 4, 1998, this Commission received Tariff Advice No. 98-02 from Fremont Telcom Company for authority to change its policy regarding suspension of local service. Suspension of local service permits a customer to retain an access line, telephone number, and directory listing. Currently, customers requesting a suspension of local service pay a non-recurring suspension charge of $20.00 for residential and $25.50 for business service. When service is restored, the customer pays another non-recurring charge. During the period that service is suspended, the customer also pays a recurring monthly charge set at 50% of the monthly local service rate.
In its Tariff Advice, Fremont proposes to reserve only the telephone number and directory listing but not necessarily the access line serving the customer. Although Fremont will endeavor to maintain facilities for those customers electing to temporarily suspend their local service, the Company will not guarantee that access facilities will be available when the customer desires to reactivate local service. The Company requested that the Tariff Advice become effective June 1, 1998.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Fremont has submitted Tariff Advice No. 98-02 proposing to implement changes to the Companys tariffs regarding the suspension of local service with an effective date of June 1, 1998. The Commission finds that the Tariff Advice is of sufficient importance and complexity to require an investigation into the reasonableness of the proposed change. Given the demands upon the Commissions time, the Commission will be unable to consider the Tariff Advice before June 1, 1998. Consequently, the Commission finds that it is reasonable and in the public interest to suspend the Tariff advice for a period of thirty (30) days plus two (2) months from the proposed effective date of June 1, 1998.

The Commission has jurisdiction over Fremont Telcom and this matter by virtue of Title 61, Idaho Code and specifically Idaho Code  61-303, -503, -507, -622 and -623.
O R D E R
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Tariff Advice No. 98-02 should be, and hereby is, suspended for a period of thirty (30) days plus two (2) months from June 1, 1998, or until such time as the Commission may issue an Order accepting or rejecting or modifying the Tariff Advice.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this day of May 1998.

DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT

RALPH NELSON, COMMISSIONER

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary

bls\O:fret981.sus

ORDER NO. 27537 -1-

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
May 21, 1998