20050902press release.htm

./090205_USFincrease_files/filelist.xml IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
9.35 pt 2 IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION Case No. GNR-T-05-06, Order No. 29860 September 2, 2005 Contact: Gene Fadness (208) 334-0339 office; [phone] cell

Website:
http://www.puc.idaho.gov/www.puc.idaho.gov

Surcharge for universal service to increase

A surcharge that helps telephone companies provide service to high-cost rural areas will increase slightly on Oct. 1 as a result of an order signed by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission.

The Idaho Telecommunications Act of 1988 created the Universal Service Fund to maintain universal availability of local telephone service at reasonable rates in areas where greater distances and fewer customers makes providing service more costly than providing the same service in urban areas. Idaho Code 62-610A, states that, “all consumers in this state, without regard to their location, should have comparable accessibility to basic telecommunications services at just and reasonable rates.” With assistance from the Universal Service Fund, rural telephone companies are able to keep their rates at no more than 25 percent above rates in more urban areas.

All telephone companies pay to the fund through a surcharge on customer bills. The commission’s order increases the amount telephone customers pay from 10 cents per residential line per month to 12 cents and from 15 cents per business line to 20 cents. Customers of long distance companies also pay the surcharge. The surcharge for in-state toll calls will increase from three-tenths of a cent per minute to four-tenths of a cent.

The surcharge collected $1.6 million for the fund through June 30. Of that, 51 percent came from local exchange services and 49 percent from in-state long distance calls. However, disbursements to the eight rural Idaho telephone companies that qualify for the fund totaled $1.97 million as of June 30. The cash balance in the fund on June 30 was $65,265, an historically low reserve balance.

The commission agreed to the increase to avoid a negative balance and provide a reasonable reserve.

The eight telephone companies that qualify for USF disbursements include: Albion Telephone Company, Cambridge Telephone Company, Direct Comm of Rockland, Inland Telephone Company of Roslyn, Wash. (serving Idaho customers in Lenore and Leon), Fremont Telecom, Inc. of St. Anthony; Midvale Telephone Exchange, Rural Telephone Co. of Glenns Ferry and Silver Star Telephone Co. of Freedom Wyo. (serving Idaho customers in the eastern portions of Bonneville and Caribou counties).

A full text of the commission’s order, along with other documents related to this case, are available on the commission’s Web site at
http://www.puc.idaho.gov/www.puc.idaho.gov. Click on “File Room” and then on “Telecommunications Cases” and scroll down to Case No. GNR-T-05-06.

Interested parties may petition the commission for reconsideration by no later than Sept. 21. Petitions for reconsideration must set forth specifically why the petitioner contends that the order is unreasonable, unlawful or erroneous. Petitions should include a statement of the nature and quantity of evidence the petitioner will offer if reconsideration is granted.

Petitions can be delivered to the commission at 472 W. Washington St. in Boise, mailed to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID, 83720-0074, or faxed to 208-334-3762.

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