HomeMy WebLinkAbout19980928Order No 27752.docBEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF FIRSTEL, INC. FOR A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY TO PROVIDE LOCAL EXCHANGE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.
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CASE NO. FTL-T-98-1
ORDER NO. 27752
On May 27, 1998, FirsTel, Inc. applied for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to provide local service in the areas of the state currently served by U S WEST Communications, Inc. FirsTel proposes to become a resale provider of local telecommunications services to all eligible customers within the U S WEST service areas in the northern and southern LATAs. FirsTel expects its primary market to be small businesses with an average of three lines and its secondary market to be residential customers with multiple services. It intends to target mostly rural exchanges.
On August 27, 1998, the Commission issued a Notice of Application and Notice of Modified Procedure. Staff filed comments reviewing the application and information provided by FirsTel. FirsTel is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Advanced Communications Group. Advanced Com, through its subsidiaries, offers long distance, local, internet access and cellular services primarily in Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas and also publishes yellow pages directories covering certain markets in Texas and Oklahoma. As of November 30, 1997, the Company provides telecommunication services to more than 35,000 businesses and more than 10,000 residential customers in small to mid-sized markets. The Company operates six digital tandem switches in Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas and owns a 49% interest in a company that owns or operates an approximately 880-mile fiber optic network. The Company has resold U S WEST local service to approximately 3,000 access lines in North Dakota and South Dakota, and recently received authorization to provide local service in Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and Wyoming.
FirsTel has completed all Commission requirements for filing an Application for a Certificate, and cooperated with Staff in working out problems that existed in its illustrative tariff. FirsTel filed its corrected version of its illustrative tariff and requested that it become a final tariff with an effective date of October 1, 1998.
COMMISSION FINDINGS
Based on our review of the record, including the written comments filed by Staff, we find that the Application of FirsTel complies with Procedural Order No. 26665 and the Commissions Rules to obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. We therefore approve FirsTels Application for a Certificate to provide local exchange service in the areas served by U S WEST. We also find it appropriate to approve FirsTels initial tariffs, effective October 1, 1998.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that FirsTel, Inc. is granted a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to provide local telecommunications service only in the areas served by U S WEST.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that FirsTels local service tariffs are approved, effective October 1, 1998.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order (or in issues finally decided by this Order) or in interlocutory Orders previously issued in this Case No. FTL-T-98-1 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 or in interlocutory Orders previously issued in this Case No. FTL-T-98-1. Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See Idaho Code 61 626.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this day of September 1998.
DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT
RALPH NELSON, COMMISSIONER
MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary
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ORDER NO. 27752 -1-
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
September 28, 1998