20040903Final Order No 29584.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
September 3, 2004
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF VCI
COMP ANY f/k/a STAN EFFERDING d/b/a VILAIRE
FOR A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE)
AND NECESSITY TO PROVIDE LOCAL
EXCHANGE TELECOMMUNICATIONS
SERVICES.
CASE NO. GNR-O3-
ORDER NO. 29584
On June 3 , 2003, VCI Company ("VCI" or "Company ), filed an Application for a
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity as a sole proprietorship, Stan Efferding d/b/a
Vilaire. To reflect the fact that VCI organized itself as a corporation under the laws of the State
of Washington in November 2003, the Company filed an Amended Application with this
Commission on July 15 , 2004. VCI requests authority to provide facilities-based and resold
local exchange, intraLA T A interexchange and exchange access services primarily to residential
customers throughout the State of Idaho under the corporate name VCI Company.
In the Notice of Application and Modified Procedure issued July 29, 2004, the
Commission solicited comments regarding vcrs Application. Order No. 29550. No comments
were received other than those submitted by Commission Staff. Based on the comments, the law
and the record, the Commission grants vcrs Application.
THE APPLICATION
VCI proposes to provide service to primarily residential customers mainly utilizing
Unbundled Network Elements Platform (UNE-P) leased or purchased from Qwest Corporation
and Verizon. VCI proposes to offer all forms of end-user local exchange service and intraLA T A
toll service, including but not limited to the following services: 1) local exchange services for
residential customers that will enable customers to originate and terminate local calls in the local
calling area served by the incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs); 2) switched local
exchange services, including basic service, trunks, carrier access, and any other switched local
services that currently exist or will exist in the future; and 3) operator assistance and directory
assistance (via its underlying carriers). VCI also proposes to provide exchange access services to
interconnection carriers.
VCI plans to offer its servIces in the servIce areas currently served by Qwest
Corporation and Verizon. In the future, VCI may compete with all ILECs within Idaho -
ORDER NO. 29584
specifically ATC Communications; Cambridge Telephone Company; CenturyTel of Idaho, Inc.
Frontier Communications of Idaho; Direct Communications Rockland, Inc.; Fremont Telcom
Inc.; Inland Telephone Company; Midvale Telephone Exchange, Inc.; Oregon-Idaho Utilities
Inc.; Pine Telephone System, Inc.; Potlatch Telephone Company; Rural Telephone Company;
Silver Star Communications and Teton Telecom. VCI does not own any tangible property
premises in Idaho.
VCI has reviewed the Commission s rules applicable to local exchange serVIce
providers and agrees to comply with those rules. VCI will not collect deposits or advance
payments from its customers. Therefore, the Company asserts no escrow account or bonded
escrow agent is necessary. VCI seeks Commission approval of certification without bond or
deposit, based upon its financial ability.
ST AFF COMMENTS
Headquartered in Lakewood, Washington, VCI has obtained a Certificate of
Authority to transact business as a foreign corporation from Idaho s Secretary of State.
Although the Company does not maintain an office in Idaho, it does have a registered in-state
agent. VCI submitted its management profiles and financials for the period ending June 15
2004. Staff reviewed these documents and, based on those documents, believes the Company is
solvent.
With this Application VCI proposes to provide resold local exchange servIce
operator services, and directory assistance in Idaho s Qwest and Verizon service areas. At this
time, the Company does not propose to collect separate deposits and has not obtained an
interconnection agreement in Idaho. VCI has been granted authority to provide local exchange
service in several other states such as Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
Staff reviewed the Application submitted by VCI and believes the Company
understands and agrees to comply with the Commission s rules and requirements. Based on this
review of vcr s Application, Staff believes that the Company s filing has satisfied all the
requirements of the Commission s Rules and Procedural Order No. 26665. Therefore, Staff
recommends approval of the Application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.
COMMISSION FINDINGS
Based on the comments, the law and the record, the Commission grants the
Application. When considering an application for a Certificate, the Commission must determine
ORDER NO. 29584
if the applicant has the necessary qualifications to provide servIce while still fostering
competition in the local telecommunications market. Based upon our review of the filing and the
record in this case, the Commission finds that VCl's filing satisfies the requirements of the
Commission s Rules and Procedural Order No. 26665. Id. Thus, we approve VCl's Application
for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to allow the Company to provide
telecommunications services statewide. This is consistent with our previous Orders granting
statewide authority to provide telecommunications services to carriers meeting the established
requirements.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that VCI Company is granted a Certificate of Public
Convenience and Necessity to provide basic local exchange services within the state of Idaho.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order or in interlocutory
Orders previously issued in this case 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. Within seven (7) days after any person has
petitioned for reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See
Idaho Code ~ 61-626.
ORDER NO. 29584
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho, this rJ..
day of September 2004.
OWL J
MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
~~Ell
Commission Secretary
O:GNRT0321 In2
ORDER NO. 29584