2001725_dh.doc

DECISION MEMORANDUM

TO: COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER HANSEN
JEAN JEWELL
RON LAW
RANDY LOBB
JOE CUSICK
WAYNE HART
TONYA CLARK
BEV BARKER
GENE FADNESS
WORKING FILE
FROM:
DATE:
JULY 25, 2001 RE: APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FROM PREMIERE NETWORK SERVICES
CASE NO. GNRT-00-34

In October 2000, Premiere Network Services, Inc. filed an Application seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to offer telecommunication services to both residential and business customers in Idaho. The Company requested authority to resell and provide facilities-based services statewide. However, Premiere 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. Premiere primarily intends to offer services in the areas currently served by Qwest Corporation.
On July 9, 2001, the Commission issued a Notice of Application and a Notice of Modified Procedure in this matter. In its Notice, the Commission requested that persons interested in commenting on the Application file comments no later than July 23, 2001. Only the Commission Staff filed comments and it recommended that the Commission issue the requested certificate.

STAFF COMMENTS
In its comments, Staff stated that it had reviewed the Application and found that Premiere had included all of the items required by the Commission’s Procedural Order No. 26665. Staff noted that Premiere is primarily a management consulting company providing clients with solutions to telecommunication needs. Although it has been in existence since 1986, Premiere has only recently expanded its geographic scope. The Company designs and engineers custom solutions for its customers, and does not typically build or require facilities to implement the customer solutions until after the customer has contracted for the designed solution. Then financing for each project is obtained from traditional services. Therefore, Staff concluded that “the financial position of the Company to be sufficient for the intended operation strategy, and no further financial security should be necessary.” Staff Comments at 2. In summary, Staff recommended that the Commission grant the requested Certificate
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to grant Premiere a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to provide Title 62 telecommunication services?

vld/M:GNRT-00-34_dh

DECISION MEMORANDUM 2