PETITION.docx

(text box: 1)BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FROM GARDEN VALLEY, HORSESHOE BEND AND  OTHER BOISE COUNTY RESIDENTS REQUESTING EXTENDED AREA SERVICE (EAS) BETWEEN THESE COMMUNITIES, EMMETT AND TO THE CITY OF BOISE.
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CASE NO. GNR-T-96-2
NOTICE OF PETITION
In March 1996 and on April 17, 1996,  the Commission received petitions containing more than 250 signatures and 79 signatures, respectively, requesting toll-free calling among the exchanges of Garden Valley, Horseshoe Bend, Lowman, Idaho City and other towns in Boise County and to the cities of Emmett and Boise.  Toll-free calling between local exchanges is usually provided via a service arrangement known as extended area calling (EAS).  Approximately 75% of Idaho’s local exchanges have toll-free EAS(footnote: 1)  calling to other exchanges.  Local exchange service in Boise counties is provided by several telephone companies including:  U S WEST Communications, Citizens Telecommunications Company of Idaho, and Cambridge Telephone Company.  Upon its own motion, the Commission initiates this proceeding to examine the reasonableness of establishing EAS routes within Boise County and to Boise and Emmett.
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the petitions generally assert that Garden Valley and surrounding areas have become bedroom communities to Boise and many residences are commuting as well as telecommuting to Boise daily.  The petitions maintain that many of the residents call Boise daily for work, retail needs, and medical needs.  The petitions also generally claim that toll-free EAS calling will eliminate toll charges for these daily activities as well as make it easier to gain access to computer and information service companies, e.g., obtaining Internet access.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that this proceeding has been initiated on the Commission’s own Motion to consider the reasonableness of providing EAS between Garden Valley, Horseshoe Bend and surrounding Boise County areas and to the cities of Boise and Emmett.  Further scheduling will be accomplished at a later time.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that U S WEST, Citizens Telecommunications Company of Idaho and Cambridge Telephone Company are designated are parties to this case.
DATED at Boise, Idaho this day of April 1996.

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary
bls/N:GNR-T-96-2.sh
FOOTNOTES
1:
    “Toll-free” EAS is something of a misnomer because the costs associated with converting a former long-distance toll route to a toll-free EAS route are usually recovered from the affected customers by increasing their rates for local service.
COMMENTS AND ANNOTATIONS
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Service Date
April 29, 1996