20120410notice_of_workshop.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
April 10,2012
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE COMMISSION’S )
REVIEW OF TELEPHONE CUSTOMER )CASE NO.GNR-T-12-03
RELATIONS RULE 502,IDAPA 31.41.01.502 )
)NOTICE OF RULE REVIEW
)
)NOTICE OF WORKSHOP
_____________________________________
)APRIL 30,2012
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on December 22,2011,Qwest Corporation dba
CenturyLink QC,CenturyTel of Idaho,Inc.dba CenturyLink,and CenturyTel of the Gem State,
Inc.dba CenturyLink (the CenturyLink Companies or CenturyLink)filed a Petition requesting
an exemption from the Commission’s Telephone Customer Relations Rule 502 (IDAPA
31.41.01.502).Rule 502 establishes standards for a telephone company to restore basic local
service after an outage,and requires payment of customer credits when standards are not met.
The rule was initially adopted in 1993,and CenturyLink asserts in its Petition that changes in the
telecommunications industry in Idaho since the rule was adopted make the rule obsolete.
Petition,p.2.CenturyLink contends the rule now creates unusual and unreasonable hardships in
a competitive marketplace that did not exist when the rule was adopted.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that CenturyLink asserts that when Rule 502 was
adopted,incumbent local telephone providers were the predominant providers of local
telecommunications service.Very few customers used wireless service and most had no
alternative resource for voice communication in the event of an outage.Petition,p.3.The
development of alternative telecommunications technology,and changes in laws to encourage
competition in telecommunications markets,has significantly altered the local
telecommunications business.Petition,pp.3-4.CenturyLink points out that the competitors in
the marketplace,including wireless,cable and VoIP providers,are not subject to the
Commission’s service performance rules.CenturyLink contends this disparity in treatment
between its companies and the competitors creates for CenturyLink an “unusual or unreasonable
hardship that justifies an exemption to the rule.”Petition,pp.6-7.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Rule 502,under most circumstances,requires
a telephone company to restore local service within 24 hours after an outage is reported to the
NOTICE OF RULE REVIEW
NOTICE OF WORKSHOP 1
company.IDAPA 3L01.41.502.0l.b.If a telephone company does not restore service within
the time required by the Rule,the company must credit the customer’s account for an amount
equal to the monthly rate for one month of local exchange service.Id.The rule requires
telephone companies to keep monthly records of out-of-service reports and to notify the
Commission if the company is not able to clear at least 90%of outages within the time required
by the rule for a period of three consecutive months.IDAPA 31.01 .41.502.03.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission has determined to initiate a
review of Telephone Customer Relations Rule 502 and update the rule,if appropriate,to comport
with the changes that have occurred in the telecommunications industry since 1993.
Accordingly,the Commission initiates a review of Telephone Customer Relations Rule 502,
IDAPA 31.41.01.502 to determine whether a negotiated rulemaking is feasible.The
Commission Staff will convene a public workshop to discuss Rule 502,and obtain information
and expertise from industry representatives to recommend possible changes to the rule.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Staff will convene a workshop on APRIL 30,
2012 AT 10:00 A.M.IN THE COMMISSION HEARING ROOM,472 WEST
WASHINGTON STREET,BOISE,IDAHO.Persons desiring to participate in the rule
workshop to review the Commission’s Telephone Customer Relations Rule 502 should notify the
Commission Secretary to be placed on the service list for this case,and are invited to attend the
workshop on April 30,2012.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIF1ED that all hearings and prehearing conferences in
this matter will be held in facilities meeting the accessibility requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA).Persons needing the help of a sign language interpreter or other
assistance in order to participate in or to understand testimony and argument at a public hearing
may ask the Commission to provide a sign language interpreter or other assistance at the hearing.
The request for assistance must be received at least five (5)working days before the hearing by
contacting the Commission Secretary at:
IDAHO PUBLIC UTII.JTIES COMMISSION
P0 BOX 83720
BOISE,IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone] (Telephone)
[phone] (FAX)
E-Mail:secretarypuc.idaho.gov
NOTICE OF RULE REVIEW
NOTICE OF WORKSHOP 2
DATED at Boise,Idaho this /O day of April 2012.
ATTEST:
/1 N..
.,
/M---J /!t
J$an D.Jewell (I
c6mmission Secretary
bls/O:GNR-T-I 2-O3ws
NOTICE OF RULE REVIEW
NOTICE OF WORKSHOP
MACK A.RE6Ri,COMMISSIONER
OL i
MARSHA H.SMITH,COMMISSIONER
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