29048.doc

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE FORMAL
COMPLAINT OF LANCE AND KARISSA ST.
ONGE REGARDING A LINE EXTENSION
DECISION MADE BY QWEST
CORPORATION
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CASE NO. QWE-T-01-25

ORDER NO. 29048

On May 14, 2002, Lance and Karissa St. Onge filed a timely Petition for Reconsideration of Commission Order No. 29011 that dismissed their formal Complaint against Qwest Corporation. After review of this matter and the representations made by the parties at our June 6, 2002 Decision Meeting we deny this Petition for Reconsideration.
BACKGROUND
On September 6, 2001, the Commission received a formal complaint against Qwest from the St. Onges requesting that it review a line extension decision made by the Company. The St. Onges stated that they had been seeking installation of basic phone service for their home but Qwest’s line extension proposal made it too cost prohibitive.
In the spring 2002, the Commission Staff was informed that the parties had reached a settlement. Staff was provided with a work order containing the charges for extending service to the St. Onges and the date that service was provided to them. This document was signed by a Qwest manager and the St. Onges. According to this settlement, Qwest agreed to reduce the charge for extending service to the St. Onges from $5,700 to $1,006.23. Qwest also agreed to allow the St. Onges to split this amount into two payments. The St. Onges made the first payment of $503.12 to Qwest on November 9, 2001. In return, Qwest extended basic phone service to the St. Onges on December 24, 2001.
Based on this information and the Staff’s recommendation the Commission found that the issues raised by the St. Onges’ Complaint had been resolved. Accordingly, the Commission dismissed the St. Onges’ Complaint and closed this matter.
The St. Onges filed a Petition for Reconsideration requesting that the Commission reconsider its dismissal of their Complaint. In this Petition the St. Onges raised three arguments. First, the St. Onges alleged that they paid Qwest to extend service to them as contemplated by the agreement but the Company did not complete the work needed to provide them this service. Specifically, they claim that Qwest did not bury the cable used to provide them service as was agreed upon. Second, the St. Onges contended that they are served off of a box in the 843 prefix, but have received a 924 prefix. Lastly, the St. Onges alleged that the cable that Qwest used to provide them service is at least 25 years old and incapable of supplying them with services the Company is billing them for (i.e. caller ID, call waiting, Internet access). Based on these grounds the St. Onges requested that the Commission reconsider the dismissal of their Complaint.
At the June 6, 2002 Decision Meeting, Karissa St. Onge represented that the cable had now been buried. Furthermore, she agreed to attempt to resolve the remaining issues raised in her Petition informally with Qwest and with the assistance of the Commission Staff.
COMMISSION DECISION
Based on the foregoing, we deny the St. Onges’ Petition for Reconsideration. However, the Commission directs the parties and the Commission Staff to attempt to informally resolve the remaining issues raised by the St. Onges’ Petition for Reconsideration.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Petition for Reconsideration filed by Lance and Karissa St. Onge is denied.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION.  Any party aggrieved by this Order or other final or interlocutory Orders previously issued in this Case No. IPC-E-01-25 may appeal to the Supreme Court of Idaho pursuant to the Public Utilities Law and the Idaho Appellate Rules.  See Idaho Code § 61-627.

DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this
day of June 2002.

PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

DENNIS S. HANSEN, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jean D. Jewell
Commission Secretary

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ORDER NO. 29048 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
June 10, 2002