PETITON.docx

(text box: 1)BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FROM RESIDENTS OF GRANDVIEW, BRUNEAU AND OREANA FOR EXTENDED AREA SERVICE (EAS) BETWEEN GRANDVIEW, BRUNEAU, OREANA,  MOUNTAIN HOME, BOISE, NAMPA AND CALDWELL.
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CASE NO.  GNR-T-99-2
NOTICE OF PETITION
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YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on November 17, 1998, the Commission received Petitions from nearly two-hundred fifty (250) CenturyTel of the Gem State Telephone Company customers for toll-free extended area service (EAS)(footnote: 1) between the communities of Grandview, Bruneau, Oreana, Mountain Home, Boise, Nampa and Caldwell.  CenturyTel provides local exchange service to the communities of Grandview, Bruneau and Oreana.  U S WEST Communications, Inc. provides local exchange service to the communities of Mountain Home, Boise, Nampa and Caldwell.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the petitioners allege that there is a strong community-of-interest between Grandview, Bruneau, Oreana, Mountain Home, Boise, Nampa and Caldwell.  The Petition states that many customers call the requested areas for work, medical, government, school, and community needs.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that CenturyTel of the Gem State Telephone Company and U S WEST Communications are designated as parties to this proceeding.  The Commission understands that the parties as well as the Staff have already begun their investigations to determine the community-of-interest, costs, and feasibility of the requests.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to intervene in this matter for the purpose of presenting evidence or cross-examining witnesses at hearing must file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission pursuant to this Commission’s Rules of Procedure 72 and 73, IDAPA 31.01.01.072 and -.073.  Persons intending to participate at the hearing must file a Petition to Intervene on or before March 1, 1999.  Persons desiring to present their views without parties’ rights of participation and cross-examination are not required to intervene and may present their comments without prior notification to the Commission or the parties.
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Commission will schedule a technical hearing in this case at a future time.  The purpose of this hearing will be to take the technical evidence of the Companies and the Staff concerning the costs (including any projected rate increase to fund the requests), the community-of-interest, and feasibility of the requests.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petitions in this case is available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Commission offices.  The prepared testimony and exhibits must conform to the requirements of Rules 230-231 of the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.230-231.  The Commission is located at:
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO  83720-0074
[phone]  (TELEPHONE)
[phone]  (TEXT TELEPHONE)
[phone]  (FAX)
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this matter will be conducted pursuant to the Commission's Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.000 et seq.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to Title 61 of the Idaho Code.
DATED at Boise, Idaho this                  day of February 1999.

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary
N:gnrt992.cc
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
February 3, 1999