19991019Order No 28179.doc

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE JOINT APPLICATION OF MIDVALE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE, INC. AND SAWTOOTH TELEPHONE, INC. FOR AUTHORITY TO INCREASE RATES AND DISBURSEMENTS FROM THE IDAHO USF. )
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CASE NO. MIDT991
SAW-T-99-1

ORDER NO.  28179

On September 28, 1999, Midvale Telephone Exchange, Inc. and Sawtooth Telephone, Inc. filed a Joint Application requesting authority for Midvale and Sawtooth to increase local exchange rates and receive increased distributions from the Idaho Universal Service Fund effective November 1, 1999.
Pursuant to Idaho Code § 61-622 and based on the findings below, the Commission suspends the rates that are subject of the Application for a period of thirty (30) days plus five (5) months from the proposed effective date of November 1, 1999, or until such time as the Commission issues a final order.
FINDINGS
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has jurisdiction over the Joint Applicants and their Application by virtue of Title 61 and Title 62, Idaho Code and the Rules of Procedure of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, IDAPA 31.01.01 et seq.
The Joint Applicants have submitted a proposed schedule of rates and charges for telephone service to become effective on and after November 1, 1999. The Application is of sufficient importance and complexity to require the Commission's investigation of the reasonableness of the proposed rates. The Commission will be unable to consider the Application before November 1, 1999, because of the complexity of the evidence presented by the Application and because of the previously scheduled hearings and other demands on the Commission's time.
The Commission has authority under Idaho Code § 61-622 to suspend the rates that are subject of the Application for a period of thirty (30) days plus five (5) months from the proposed effective date of November 1, 1999.

It is necessary to suspend the rates in this Application for a period of thirty (30) days plus five (5) months from the effective date of November 1, 1999, to allow the Commission to hear the evidence to be presented in this matter and to consider and determine the issues presented in this Application.

O R D E R
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the proposed schedule of rates and charges for telephone service in Case Nos. MID-T-99-1 and SAW-T-99-1 should be, and hereby is, suspended for a period of thirty (30) days plus five (5) months from November 1, 1999, or until such time as the Commission may issue an Order accepting or rejecting or modifying the Application in this matter.
THIS IS AN INTERLOCUTORY ORDER. Any person interested in this Order may file a petition for review within twenty-one (21) days of the service date of this Order with regard to any matter decided in this Order. A petition to review may request that the Commission: (1) rescind, clarify, alter, amend; (2) stay; or (3) finalize this Interlocutory Order. After any person has petitioned for review, any other person may file a cross-petition within seven (7) days. See Rules 321, 322, 323.04, 324, 325 (IDAPA 31.01.01.321 –325.)

DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho, this
day of April 2003.

DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

PAUL KJELLANDER, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary

O:midt991_sawt991_cc

ORDER NO.  28179 -1-

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
October 19, 1999