20020530Comments.pdf

JOHN R.HAMMOND .30 PM 2-55DEPUTYATTORNEYGENERAL
IDAHOPUBLICUTILITIES COMMISSION o PUBLil
PO BOX 83720 g cohMISSION
BOISE,IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone]
IDAHO BAR NO.5470
Street Address for Express Mail:
472 W WASHINGTON
BOISE ID 83702-5983
Attorneyfor the Commission Staff
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF )BASICPHONE,INC.FOR A CERTIFICATE )CASE NO.GNR-T-02-8
OF PUBLIC CON VENIENCE AND NECESSITY )TO PROVIDE LOCAL EXCHANGE SERVICES )COMMENTS OF THE
IN IDAHO.)COMMISSION STAFF
COMES NOW the Staff of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission,by and through its
Attorneyof record,John R.Hammond,Deputy AttorneyGeneral,in response to Order No.29028,
the Notice of Application and Notice of Modified Procedure in Case No.GNR-T-02-8 issued on
May 16,2002,submits the followingcomments.
BACKGROUND
On May 2,2002,BasicPhone,Inc.(BasicPhone)filed an Application for a Certificate of
Public Convenience and Necessity to provide basic local exchange service in Idaho.BasicPhone
proposes to provide local residential and business dial tone on a prepaid basis.The Company also
intends to offer prepaid long distance service.BasicPhone states that it will operate as a non-
facilities based reseller of services of the Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC).BasicPhone
requests a certificate to serve the entire state and has no plans to build facilities in the future.
BasicPhone is incorporated and located in the State of Texas and represents that it is in good
STAFF COMMENTS 1 MAY 30,2002
standing under the laws of that state.The Company also obtained a Certificate of Authority from
Idaho's Secretary of State on February 21,2002,but does not yet have a principal business address
in Idaho.
After reviewing BasicPhone's Application and Illustrative Tariff,Staff made redline
revisions to the original filing and forwarded them onto the Company's consultant,Osborne/Craig
P.L.C.Attorneys at Law.The noted revisions were made and returned to Staff on May 16,2002.
Staff has reviewed the changes and finds them to be in compliance with Idaho Statute and the
Commission's Customer Relation Rules.
Because the Company is a pre-paid provider,it requests a waiver of the Commission's
required escrow account for advanced deposits.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff has reviewed the Application and Illustrative Tariff submitted by BasicPhone,Inc.,and
finds it in compliance with the Commission's Rules of Procedure and Commission Order No.
26665.Staff recommends approval of BasicPhone's Application and Tariff along with the waiver
of the escrow account.
DATED at Boise,Idaho,this Ray of May 2002.
Johp'Ít ammond i
De'p AttorneyGeneral
Technical Staff:Carolee Hall
JH:CH:i:umisc/comments/gnrt02.8jhch
STAFF COMMENTS 2 MAY 30,2002
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I HAVE THIS 30TH DAY OF MAY 2002,
SERVED THE FOREGOING COMMENTS OF THE COMMISSION STAFF,IN CASE
NO.GNR-T-02-8,BY MAILING A COPY THEREOF,POSTAGE PREPAID,TO THE
FOLLOWING:
JONATHAN WILLIAMS SHARI R ERNST
OSBORNE CRAIG PLC DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
PO BOX 2797 BASICPHONE INC
MANASSAS VA 20108-0888 2207 MacARTHUR DR
ORANGE TX 77631
SECRETARY
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE