28799.doc

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

in the matter of THE APPLICATION OF PREMIERE NETWORK SERVICES, INC. FOR A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY TO PROVIDE LOCAL EXCHANGE AND LONG-DISTANCE (TOLL) SERVICES WITHIN THE STATE OF IDAHO. )
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CASE NO. gnr-T-00-34

ORDER NO. 28799

On October 2000, Premiere Network Services, Inc. filed an Application seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to provide local and long-distance services to both residential and business customers within Idaho. The Company requests authority to resell and provide facilities-based local, toll, and advanced services statewide. However, the Company does not intend to operate in areas served by incumbent local exchange carriers that are eligible for a small or rural carrier exemption pursuant to Section 251 of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Company primarily intends to operate in areas served by Qwest Corporation.
On July 9, 2001, the Commission issued a Notice of Application and a Notice of Modified Procedure. The Commission requested that interested parties file written comment regarding the Application no later than July 23, 2001. The Commission Staff filed timely comments recommending that the Commission grant the requested certificate.
In its comments, the Commission Staff stated that Premiere is primarily a management consulting company providing clients with solutions to telecommunication needs. It has been in existence since 1986, but has only recently expanded its scope of operations. Premiere designs and engineers custom solutions for its individual customers, and does not typically build facilities to provide telecommunication service to the customer until after the customer has contracted for the designed telecommunication solution. Financing for each project is then obtained from traditional sources. Given this manner of financing, the Staff concluded that the financial position of the Company is sufficient for the intended operation strategy.

COMMISSION FINDINGS
Based upon our review of the record, we find that the Application of Premiere Network Services, Inc. complies with our Procedural Order No. 26665 and the Commission’s rules to obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to provide Title 62 telecommunication services. We therefore approve Premiere’s Application for a Certificate to provide local exchange service only in the territories served by Qwest Corporation.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Premiere Network Services’ Application seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity is granted. Premiere is authorized to provide local exchange, long-distance, and advanced services.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Premiere is granted a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to provide telecommunication services in areas of the state currently served by Qwest Corporation.
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. GNRT0034 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. GNR-T-00-34. 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 2001.

PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

DENNIS S. HANSEN, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jean D. Jewell
Commission Secretary

vld/O:GNR-T-00-34_dh2

ORDER NO. 28799 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
August 3, 2001