20040415Final Order No 29474.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
April 15 2004
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF
INLAND TELEPHONE COMPANY FOR
SUSPENSION OF NUMBER PORTABILITY
REQUIREMENTS.
CASE NO. INL-O4-
ORDER NO. 29474
Section 251(b) of the federal Telecommunications Act requires all local exchange
carriers to provide number portability to the extent technically feasible and according to the
requirements prescribed by the Federal Communications Commission.In an order issued
November 10, 2003, the FCC requires that incumbent LECs in areas outside the largest 100
metropolitan areas implement number portability no later than May 24, 2004. Section 251 (f)(2),
however, allows local exchange carriers with fewer than 2% of the nations subscriber lines to
petition a state commission for suspension or modification of the requirements of Section 251 (b).
On February 11 2004, a Petition was filed by Inland Telephone Company requesting
suspension until December 31 2005 , of the requirement that it provide number portability from
wireline to wireless carriers. The Petition states that Inland will need to upgrade its switch at a
cost of approximately $400 000 in order to provide local number portability. Inland states
suspending its number portability obligation will not adversely affect customers because it has
not received a single number porting request and does not anticipate a significant demand in the
foreseeable future.
On February 24, 2004, the Commission issued a Notice of Petition and Notice of
Modified Procedure inviting written comments on Inland's Petition. Written comments were
filed only by the Commission Staff, which supported Inland's request for an extension.
Section 251(f)(2) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 provides small carriers the
opportunity to petition a state commission for suspension of local number portability
requirements. According to Inland's Petition, it is technically infeasible for Inland's Mitel
switches to provide number portability without upgrading its switch. Inland has already been
granted an extension by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to allow the
company time to replace its Mitel switches in Roslyn, Dewatto, Prescott, and Uniontown and
requests a similar extension in Idaho to replace its Mitel switches in Leon and Lenore.
ORDER NO. 29474
Granting an extension for Inland in Idaho is in the public interest and would allow
Inland to avoid adverse economic impact by coordinating a switch replacement schedule. The
Commission finds that Inland is making a reasonable effort to comply with the LNP
requirements by upgrading its central office switches and that Inland's Petition provides an
adequate reason to suspend its obligations to comply with the FCC's number portability
requirements until December 31 , 2005.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Inland Telephone Company s Petition for temporary
suspension of local number portability obligations until December 31 , 2005 is approved.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order may petition for
reconsideration within twenty-one (21) days of the service date of this Order. Within seven (7)
days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for
reconsideration. See Idaho Code g 61-626.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this
day of April 2004.
PAUL KJELL , PRESIDENT
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MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
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ORDER NO. 29474