19980715Decision Memo.doc

DECISION MEMORANDUM

TO: COMMISSIONER HANSEN JOE CUSICK
COMMISSIONER NELSON WAYNE HART
COMMISSIONER SMITH BIRDELLE BROWN
MYRNA WALTERS BEVERLY BARKER
STEPHANIE MILLER TONYA CLARK
DAVID SCHUNKE RITA SCOTT
DON HOWELL DAVID SCOTT
WELDON STUTZMAN WORKING FILE

FROM: CAROLEE HALL

DATE: JULY 15, 1998

RE: GTE NORTHWEST INC. CASE NO. GTE-T-98-3 FOR ADVICE 98-10 REQUESTING APPROVAL TO PROVIDE TWO NEW EAS ROUTES FOR THE TENSED/BLUEBELL AND EVERGREEN EXCHANGES WITH AN IMPLEMENTATION DATE OF AUGUST 24, 1998.

BACKGROUND
On April 28, 1998, GTE filed tariff Advice 98-10 requesting approval to provide two-way EAS routes from the Evergreen Exchange (Farmington, Idaho) and the Tensed/Bluebell Exchange (Tensed, Idaho) into the towns of Potlatch, Plummer/Worley, and St. Maries. Both the Evergreen and Tensed/Bluebell exchanges are in the Spokane LATA. The towns of Tensed (Bluebell exchange) and Farmington (Evergreen exchange) are on the Idaho side of the Idaho/Washington border.
On June 18, 1998, the Commission issued Order No. 27593 and assigned Case
No. GTE-T-98-3 with the purpose of processing this filing under Modified Procedure. The Commission established a twenty-one day comment period from the date of the Order. Written comments were due by July 9, 1998.
Staff filed comments in support of the proposed EAS routes. Staff also received a letter in support of the EAS filing and a petition with 41 signatures supporting the new optional calling plan.

DISCUSSION

Staff and GTE discussed the comments received from the Tensed/Bluebell and Evergreen customers on July, 14, 1998. Neither Staff nor GTE received any comments opposing the proposed optional calling plan. With Commission approval, GTE is prepared to go forward with the implementation date as set forth in its advice filing. The proposed optional calling areas are as follows:
Current Calling Areas Proposed Calling Areas
Evergreen Evergreen Evergreen
(Farmington, Id) Farmington, WA Farmington, WA.
Tensed/Bluebell Tensed/Bluebell
Rock Creek Rock Creek
Plummer/Worley
Potlatch
St. Maries

Tensed/Bluebell Tensed/Bluebell Tensed/Bluebell
Tensed, Id. Tekoa, WA. Tekoa, WA. DeSmit, Id. Evergreen Evergreen
Rock Creek Rock Creek
Plummer/Worley
Potlatch
St. Maries

The following proposed rate increase is for unlimited usage for GTEs COMMUNITY PLUS calling plan. This is only one of four optional calling plans offered to GTE customers.

Evergreen and Current Monthly Rate EAS Adder New Monthly Rate
Tensed/Bluebell
Residential (1 line) $ 11.25 $ 6.76 $ 18.01
Business (1 line) 22.00 13.52 35.52
Business (Multi-line) 25.00 13.52 38.52
Central Office Located 19.00 13.25 32.52
Trunk

Plummer-Worley
Residential (1 line) $ 16.20 $ 1.94 $ 18.14
Business (1 line) 38.30 3.87 42.17
Business (Multi-line) 43.00 3.87 46.87
Central Office Located 37.00 3.87 40.87
Trunk

Potlatch
Residential $ 15.25 $ .39 $ 15.64
Business (1 line) 36.00 .77 36.77
Business (Multi-line) 39.00 .77 39.77
Central Office Located 33.00 .77 33.77
Trunk

St. Maries
Residential $ 12.75 $ .29 $ 13.04
Business (1 line) 27.00 .58 27.58
Business (Multi-line) 30.00 .58 30.58
Central Office Located 24.00 .58 24.58

GTE is also proposing to add the new calling areas to its Measured Rate Local Calling plan. Neither the basic monthly rates nor the per minute charges have increased. GTE has simply added the new calling areas to its designated zone calling areas.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
For the past year, Staff and GTE have been working on an equitable calling plan for the communities of Tensed, DeSmit and Farmington. Staff reviewed all of the cost data submitted by GTE and finds this plan to be revenue neutral to GTE and beneficial to the customers within the affected communities. Staff believes that GTE has more than adequately addressed the needs of its customers in these communities.

COMMISSION DECISION
Staff strongly supports this filing and recommends approval. Does the Commission agree?

Carolee Hall

corresp\dmemos\adv9810f.wpd

DECISION MEMORANDUM 1 JULY 15, 1998