HomeMy WebLinkAboutUSCC_ws.docDECISION MEMORANDUM
TO: COMMISSIONER HANSEN
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
MYRNA WALTERS
DON HOWELL
STEPHANIE MILLER
DAVE SCHUNKE
TONYA CLARK
RON LAW
JOE CUSICK
WORKING FILE
FROM:
DATE: July 22, 1999
RE: COMMISSION RESPONSE TO CORRESPONDENCE FROM UNITED STATES CELLULAR CORPORATION
On July 6, 1999, the Commission received a letter from an attorney representing United States Cellular Corporation (USCC) regarding its duty to contribute to the Idaho Telecommunications Service Assistance Program (ITSAP). The correspondence notes that Idaho ITSAP statutes require the Commission to establish and impose a uniform statewide monthly surcharge on “each end user’s business, residential, and wireless access service.” Nonetheless, USCC asked the Commission to provide further direction on how to apply the law and collect the charge from customers because the term “wireless access service” is not specifically defined in the statutes.
Since the Legislature amended the ITSAP statutes to require participation by wireless telecommunications providers, USCC is the only provider that seems confused by its duty to apply the ITSAP surcharge and remit ITSAP funds to the administrator. The duty of wireless providers to participate does not seem so imprecise that a declaratory order from the Commission is necessary. Accordingly, a letter response may be sufficient to clarify USCC’s duty to participate in the ITSAP program.
Attached is a proposed response to the request from USCC. Staff recommends that the proposed letter be sent in response to USCC’s request.
Commission Decision
Should the attached correspondence be provided as a response to USCC’s request for clarification regarding its duty to impose and remit ITSAP surcharges?
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