20030630Post Hearing Brief.pdf

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Mary S. Hobson (ISB #2142)
Stoel Rives LLP
101 South Capitol Boulevard - Suite 1900
Boise, ill 83702
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
mshobson~stoel.com
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Adam L. Sherr (WSBA #25291)
Qwest
1600 7th Avenue - Room 3206
Seattle, WA 98191
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
asherr~qwest.com
Attorneys for Qwest Corporation
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
OF QWEST CORPORATION FOR PRICE
DEREGULATION OF BASIC LOCAL
EXCHANGE SERVICES
Case. No.. QWE-O2-
QWEST CORPORATION'S OPENING POST-
HEARING BRIEF
Qwest Corporation ("Qwest"), by and through its undersigned counsel, hereby submits its
opening post-hearing brief. Qwest requests the Commission approve its December 17, 2002
application for price deregulation for the Boise, Caldwell, Idaho Falls, Meridian, Nampa
Pocatello and Twin Falls exchanges (the "seven exchanges
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OVERVIEW..................................................................................................................... 1
ISSUES PRESENTED.................................................................................................... 4
DISCUSSION................................................................................................................... 5A. Idaho Code ~ 62-622(3)(b) requires only that Qwest demonstrate
effective competition" for basic local exchange services and not for
all uses to which wirelines may be adapted .......................................................1. The scope of the Commission s inquiry has been coherently and
consistently defined by Idaho statute......................................................... 6
In determining the scope of the inquiry the Commission should be
guided by the requirements of universal service........................................ 8
The record demonstrates conclusively that wireless providers offer a
functionally equivalent alternative to Qwest's wireline basic local
exchange service................................................................................................... 81. "Functionally equivalent" does not mean identical or virtually
identical......................................................................................................
II.
III.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Wireless service meets each of the criteria for ETC status and is
therefore functionally equivalent to Qwest wireline basic local
exchange service........................................................................................ 9
Wireless service is a substitute, not a complement to basic local
exchange service ...................................................................................... 12
Wireline customers in the seven exchanges perceive wireless to be
a functionally equivalent substitute service ............................................. 13
Staff offered no verifiable, empirical data to support its opposition
to Qwest's application on the grounds of functional equivalence ...........
The assertions of Staff and Intervenors concerning extension phones,
FAX machines, Internet access and the like are not factually accurate;
nor do they justify denial of Qwest's application............................................ 161. Staff and Intervenors underestimate the services that are available
to wireless customers ............................................................................... 17
Effective competition is present when prices are constrained by the
market, not just when 100% of the customers have a viable choice........ 18
The record shows that wireless providers offer a competitively-priced
alternative for each segment of Qwest wireline local voice
communications service customers.................................................... .............. 20
How to determine whether two services are competitively priced ..........
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Consumers in the seven exchanges think that wireless is
competitively priced....................... ............................................. ........ .....
In reality, competitively priced wireless packages are available in
each exchange for each segment of the residential and small
business markets...................................................................................... 22
Exhibit 101 , even as revised, is too flawed to be relied upon...... 23
Exhibit 19 demonstrates that competitively-priced wireless
plans exist for each segment of residential and small
business wireline customer.... ................................. ..................... 25
Staff s extreme position regarding what constitutes competitive
pricing defies common sense and assumes Idaho customers are too
unsophisticated to make logical pricing decisions................................... 26
Idaho customers are currently willing to pay for wireline, wireless
and cable services simultaneously........................................................... 27
There is no dispute that wireless services are reasonably available
throughout the local calling area ...................................................................... 28
Qwest's evidence demonstrates that the statute s requirements for
deregulation have been met for each of the seven exchanges ........................ 28
Substantial evidence supports the conclusion that wireless substitution
amounts to a national trend, and the FCC has recognized wireless
services provide competition to incumbent local service providers .............. 291. Wireless providers are making a nation-wide effort to attract local
customers through advertising................................................................. 30
Numerous articles and studies reflect the national trend toward
wireless substitution................................................................................. 30
The FCC has recognized that there is growing evidence of wireless
substitution and that wireless services represent competition for
incumbent local exchange service providers ........................................... 32
Granting Qwest's application is consistent with the public interest
.............
1. The public interest is served by implementing the Legislature
intent ........................................................................................................
Staffs public interest concerns are not well-founded.............................. 33a. The fact that Qwest could raise rates cannot be a basis for
denial of the application under the guise of the public
interest..........................................................................................
Staff s concern that if its application is granted Qwest
could raise the rates in the remaining exchanges
demonstrates Staffs disagreement with the purposes of the
statute and the transition to competition ......................................
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c. Staffs suggestion that granting Qwest's application could
impede the development of competition is patently absurd......... 363. Granting Qwest's application is consistent with the public interest ........
CONCLUSION
......................................................
....................................................... 38IV.
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III
OVERVIEW
In 1997, the Idaho Legislature enacted a statute that required the Commission to "cease
regulating basic local exchange service rates. . . upon a showing. . . that effective competition
exists for basic local exchange service throughout the local exchange calling area.Idaho Code
~ 62-622(3). Lest fruitless debate ensue, the Legislature also provided two specific scenarios
under which "effective competition" would be deemed to occur. The first described a
comfortable "overbuild" scenario under which a competing carrier offers an alternative facilities-
based network. The second, more visionary scenario posed a situation in which "there are
functionally equivalent, competitively price local services reasonably available to both
residential and small business customers.Idaho Code 62-622(3)(b). Qwest brings its
application under this second scenario, relying on the ubiquitous presence of ever more
aggressive competition for basic local exchange service customers from wireless carriers in the
seven exchanges.
The following basic facts presented here are undisputed.
Staff admits that wireless carriers provide "two-way interactive switched voice
communications" within the local calling area, which is, of course, the definition
of basic local exchange service provided in statute. Idaho Code 62-603(1).
There is no disagreement that virtually every residential and small business
customer in the seven exchanges has a choice of at least six wireless providers
offering a selection of service packages designed to provide a variety of levels of
local usage, additional features, toll calling options and price ranges.
Staff and Qwest agree that for two products to be "competitively priced" they do
not have to be identically priced and that customer opinion as to the significance
of a price difference and actual customer behavior are important.
Qwest's evidence that there are presently nearly 600 000 wireless subscribers in
Idaho and that the numbers of wireless customers is increasing by over 6 000 per
month is unchallenged.
Staff does not dispute that wireless growth has exploded while Qwest's wireline
subscribership has actually declined during the same period.
Wireless companies advertise their services as a complete substitute for wireline
servIce.
Staff chooses to ignore, but does not challenge, that Qwest presented a substantial
body of evidence that wireless substitution for landlines is becoming a national
trend.
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Staff does not dispute some number of Qwest' s wireline customers in Idaho have
already chosen wireless as their only telephone service.
. Everyone, including the Commission in a prior order, agrees that the Legislature
did not adopt a market share test for determining effective competition.
The debate in this case centers on two key areas. First is a question of statutory
interpretation that may be summarized as follows: did the Idaho Legislature intend that, to meet
the standard of section 62-622(3)(b), the incumbent show that an alternative service provide
effective competition" for uses of wire lines other than for the provision of basic local exchange
service? This subject was thoroughly briefed previously by the parties and is only referenced
here in the context of specific arguments raised by the Staff and Intervenors.
The second large area of debate is about the meaning of the undisputed facts listed above.
Staff insists that because there is no evidence that large numbers of Qwest customers have
disconnected their wirelines (remember Staff concedes that some numbers have in fact done so)
then wireless service must not be "functionally equivalent" or "competitively priced" with Qwest
basic local exchange service. This argument, of course, begs the question. The statute does not
require that the incumbent provide evidence that customers have switched exclusively to
competitors in order to prove effective competition. Such a requirement would amount to a
statutory "market loss" standard, which all concede was not intended by the Legislature. Thus
the questions of whether wireless services are "functionally equivalent" or "competitively
priced" must be answered independently of whether waves of customers have in fact selected the
alternative to the exclusion of the incumbent's service.
Guidance in answering the questions whether wireless service is "functionally equivalent
or "competitively priced" is found in Qwest's independent , statistically valid survey of Qwest
wireline customers in the seven exchanges. This survey was conservatively drawn to test the
opinions of only those customers who still use Qwest wireline service. The survey demonstrates
that 50% of Idaho residence customers and 30% of its small business customers state they could
rely solely on wireless service for their local calling needs. When the responses of those that
replied negatively were probed, it was revealed that in many cases these customers were focused
on wire line uses that do not come within the definition of basic local exchange service (such as
dial-up Internet access). But even the most conservative results point to the fact that a very
substantial percentage of wire line customers see wireless service as the "functional equivalent"
, indeed as a complete substitute for, their local calling service. On the question of
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competitively pricing, 55.6 % of residence customers and 55% of small business customers
stated that the price of wireless service is the same or less than wireline service. These
percentages increase if one focuses on only those respondents who actually use wireless service.
Thus these Idaho customers find wireless services to be "competitively priced.
Commission Staff argues that the survey questions could have been drafted differently or
that the customers did not appreciate what they were saying. They also point out that large
percentages of customers did not respond that they could "solely rely on" wireless services. But
these arguments miss the point. The question is whether wireless services present "effective
competition." Everyone agrees that competition is effective when it constrains the prices of the
market participants such that they cannot raise their prices significantly without losing market
share to competitors.
It is not possible for Qwest or anyone to prove what its future prices will be. But, Qwest
has presented evidence that all the competitive market forces are in place to constrain its prices.
Apart from clinging to the assertion that large numbers of customers have not yet fully
substituted wireless for wireline, Staff does not challenge this Qwest evidence. The only
marketing expert to testify in this case, Boise State University s Dr. Douglas Lincoln, stated that
since the majority of customers already believe wireless prices are the same or less than Qwest'
wireline prices
, "
the Company would be making a serious marketing mistake by making any
kind of significant price increase.Tr. 271. Qwest's Idaho President stated this case was not
brought to raise prices and that Qwest cannot afford to lose the 30, 45, or 60 per cent of
customers that would react to a sharp price increase. "ve got to target our products and our
pricing to make them attractive to that end of the market (that might switch), and those that
might not otherwise change will get the benefit of the fact that we have two competing,
competitive services.Tr. 540.
Even Staff agrees that to have effective competition 100% of all customers do not have to
have a competitive alternative. Tr. 726. In the final analysis, the opponents to Qwest's
application focus on the exceptions and the anecdotes, and lose sight ofthe big picture. That
picture is a vibrant, robust, competitive telecommunications market in which some customers
have already switched entirely and the vast majority oftraditional telephone customers have
already chosen wireless service to meet at least part oftheir basic local exchange calling needs.
Idaho customers in the seven exchanges have wireless choices that are aggressively advertised to
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them as a substitute for all their calling needs. Substantial numbers of customers believe they
can rely exclusively on wireless service, and a majority believe wireless service is competitively
priced. Given that everyone agrees that actual customer behavior is a key factor in answering the
competitive pricing question, the fact that wireless growth has exploded under the same
economic conditions which have seen a decline in wireline subscribership, cannot be overlooked
in determining that wireless services are competitively priced.
The Legislature determined that effective competition exists when there is a functionally
equivalent, competitively priced reasonably available alternative. The Legislature s intent is that
for there to be actual and effective competition there needs to be substantive and meaningful
competition" and that "effective competition will involve a substantial number of customers
having both service provider and service option choices.Idaho Code 62-602(2). By any
measure, these standards established by the Legislature in 1997 have been met and the
Commission should cease price regulation of basic local exchange service in the seven
exchanges.
II.ISSUES PRESENTED
Whether the legislature intended that the Commission consider uses of wire lines
that do not meet the definition of basic local exchange service in determining
whether effective competition exists for basic local exchange service.
Whether wireless providers in the seven exchanges provide a functionally
equivalent alternative to Qwest wireline basic local exchange service for local
voice communications.
Whether the assertions of Staff and Intervenors that some customers will choose
not to accept the wireless alternative because of preference or need justify denial
of Qwest's application.
Whether wireless providers in the seven exchanges provide a competitively priced
alternative to Qwest wireline basic local exchange service for local voice
communications.
Whether wireless providers in the seven exchanges provide a reasonably available
alternative to Qwest wire line basic local exchange service for local voice
communications.
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Whether Qwest has provided evidence of "effective competition" for each of the
seven exchanges.
Whether and to what extent on a national level wireless-for-wireline usage and
line substitution is occurring, and to what extent has the FCC spoken to whether
wireless and wireline providers competing for local service.
Whether Qwest's application, as supplemented by the proposals articulated by
Mr. Schmit in his rebuttal testimony, is consistent with the public interest.
III.ISCUSSI 0 N
Idaho Code ~ 62-622(3)(b) requires only that Qwest demonstrate "effective
competition" for basic local exchange services and not for all uses to which
wirelines may be adapted.
The parties have already extensively briefed the issues presented in this case relating to
statutory interpretation in connection with Staffs April 30, 2003 petition for a declaratory ruling.
Rather than burdening the Commission with a restatement of its position, Qwest hereby refers to
and incorporates by this reference its May 13 , 2003 Answer to Petition for Declaratory Ruling
and Cross Petition and its comments, as presented at the May 22 2003 oral argument on Staffs
motion.
Nevertheless, the issue of whether the Commission can appropriately consider data usage
and other adaptations of wirelines (including uses with particular customer premises equipment
and use in connection with other unregulated services such as DSL and hunting or "rollover
service) is implicated in the Commission s inquiry into both the functional equivalence and
competitive pricing issues. Staff and Intervenors have attempted to suggest that the price or
relative lack of suitability of wireless services for some of these non-voice usages precludes a
finding of "effective competition" under the statute. They are wrong for a variety of reasons.
First, it would be contrary to law for the Commission in evaluating Qwest's application
to require Qwest to prove effective competition for non-voice uses and attributes. Qwest has
appropriately focused on the statutory requirement of proving effective competition for basic
local exchange service, as that term is defined in Idaho Code 9 62-603(1). Second, Staff and
Intervenors are wrong on the facts in many cases, as discussed in Section III. C. 1. below.
Finally, Staff and Intervenors are wrong when they suggest that the presence of some customers
who are unlikely to choose a wireless alternative because of their reliance on these non-voice
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uses or attributes demonstrates that wireless competition will not be effective in replacing
Commission price regulation. See Section III. C. 2. below.
1. The scope of the Commission s inquiry has been coherently and
consistently defined by Idaho statute.
There has been considerable cross-talk among the parties as to what is the correct list of
attributes that the Commission should compare when determining whether wireless is
functionally equivalent to wireline basic local exchange service. Based on the language of the
relevant statutes -- Idaho Code 99 62-622 (3) and 62-603 (1) the correct focus for the
Commission s inquiry is on the "transmission of two-way interactive switched voice
communication within a local exchange calling area" for residential and small business
customers. Idaho Code 62-503(1) (emphasis added). Using this criterion, Qwest's list of
attributes is reasonable under the statute, while the lists of attributes favored by Staff and the
Intervenors Meierotto are illogical and overly-expansive.
The efforts of Staff and Intervenors to urge the Commission to expand the scope of its
analysis of "functional equivalence" to consider data and other uses oflandlines beyond voice
communications was apparently sufficiently persuasive that Commissioner Smith was prompted
to wonder aloud ifperhaps the statute contains a "big hole" with regard to the legislature s intent
concerning these other uses of land lines. Tr. 132. In response, Qwest respectfully submits that
the Legislature s focus on voice communications was far from unintended and is consistent with
the entire scheme of Idaho s telecommunications statutes.
In 1988 , nine years before section 62-622(3) was enacted, the Legislature passed the
Telecommunications Act of 1988 which inter alia offered incumbent telephone corporations
the opportunity to price deregulate all of their services except basic local exchange service.
Idaho Code
~~
62-601-62-605. Implementation of that legislation meant that a number of
services that customers considered highly important were no longer price-regulated by the
Commission, even though the incumbent was not required to demonstrate effective competition
to gain this regulatory freedom. The Legislature s intent at that time was articulated in what is
now codified as subparagraph (1) of section 62-602:
The legislature of the state of Idaho hereby finds that universally available
telecommunications services are essential to the health, welfare and
economic well-being of the citizens of the state ofldaho and there is a
need for establishing legislation to protect and maintain high-quality
universal telecommunications at just and reasonable rates for all classes of
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customers and to encourage innovation within the industry by a balanced
program of regulation and competition.
Thus, as early as 1988 the Legislature struck the balance between regulation and
competition by price deregulating every service and every wireline use, except basic local
exchange service. 1 At the same time the Legislature provided the definition for "basic local
exchange service" to which we refer today.
Basic local exchange service, i.e. local voice service, was the only use of the telecommunications
network for which the Legislature felt the need "to protect and maintain high-quality universal
telecommunications at just and reasonable rates" through the retention of Commission price
regulation. This was consistent with the Commission s traditional focus in that maintenance of
universal service " the precept that every citizen should have affordably priced access to the
network, had long been a primary goal of Commission regulation of telephone services. See, Re
Idaho Universal Telephone Service Fund 91 p.UR.4th 90, 1988 WL 391376 (Idaho PUC).
By 1997, when section 62-622(3) was enacted the Legislature determined that "effective
competition" could take the place of Commission rate regulation for basic local exchange
service. But the policy of maintaining universal service remained. One year later in 1998, the
Legislature turned its attention again to the subject of universal service, this time in the context
of its maintenance in a multiple-provider (i., competitive) environment. Idaho Code ~~ 62-
610A-62-610F. Under the statutes enacted in 1998, the Commission was charged with
establishing a "competitively and technologically neutral funding mechanism" to support
universal service.Idaho Code ~62-610A. Universal service was defined as "basic local
exchange service and other telecommunications services designated by the commission as
services which should be widely available to consumers in all regions of the state at just and
reasonable rates.Idaho Code 62-610B(6).
Therefore although the Legislature revisited the Idaho Telecommunications Act of 1988
twice since its enactment, it did not see fit to expand the scope of Commission rate regulation
beyond basic local exchange service, which it continued to define as local voice service. The
Legislature did, however, expand the Commission s role in the preservation of universal service
not through rate regulation, but by empowering the Commission to create a competitively
This deregulatory policy was adopted without requiring that the incumbent's electing this regulatory status
demonstrate any level of competition for the services that were to be deregulated.
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neutral, explicit support mechanism for those services the Commission determined to comprise
universal service.
In determining the scope of the inquiry the Commission should be guided
by the requirements of universal service.
In Case No.GNR-98-, conducted in 1998, the Commission exercised the powers
granted in section 62-61 OC to designate those services "in addition to basic local exchange
service
" "
which should be widely available to consumers in all regions of the state at just and
reasonable rates.Idaho Code 62-610B. First on the list was "voice grade access" to the
telephone network but the other uses that have attracted interest in this case were not included.
Order No. 27715.
Thus, despite the invitation extended by the Legislature, the Commission did not add
data-related uses, or interoperability with specific customer-provided equipment to the concept
of universal service, which remained defined as "voice." This suggests that the Commission
well understood that although many customers find other services and network uses highly
valuable, it was not the role of the Commission to protect those services and uses with explicit
support. Nor is it appropriate to protect them through rate regulation of the wire lines that
provide them. As Qwest will demonstrate in Section B. 2. below, wireless services meet all the
standards created for universal service.
The record demonstrates conclusively that wireless providers offer a
functionally equivalent alternative to Qwest's wireline basic local exchange
service.
Functionally equivalent" does not mean identical or virtually identical.
Regarding the meaning of "functional equivalence , Staff witness Wayne Hart testified
the very idea of subparagraph (b) (of section 62-622 (3)) is to make a comparison of two
services that are not identical. The legislature apparently contemplated that services that are not
technically the same as those provided by a facilities based competitor nonetheless could be
enough like it that it might serve as a reasonable substitute.Tr. 635. Staff consultant Ben
Johnson, however, took an extreme position at odds with Mr. Hart, that "functionally equivalent"
means identical or virtually identical. Tr. 756. Accordingly, for two services to be
'functionally equivalent ' these services need to be virtually identical with respect to their
functional attributes-those characteristics of the service which relate directly to the purpose for
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which each service is specially fitted or used.
').
2 Dr. Johnson then used this exceedingly
stringent definition as a tool by which to exploit every difference between wireless and wireline
service as a basis for denying Qwest's application.
In his zeal to advance his argument, Dr. Johnson identifies a list often attribute
differences which lead him to the conclusion that wireless and wireline services are not
functionally equivalent. Tr. 771-775. His approach reaches its peak of absurdity when he argues
that wireless service is not functionally equivalent to wireline basic local exchange service
because, in some respects, wireless service is superior to wireline basic local exchange service
(for instance, due to its inherent mobility). Tr. 771. Taken literally and to its logical conclusion
Dr. Johnson s definition of "functional equivalence" and application of that definition would
preclude the Commission from ever finding any alternative mode of service functionally
equivalent to Qwest's service. The folly of that extreme approach is self-evident. Had the
Legislature intended to limit the Commission s consideration to identical or virtually identical
modes of telecommunication, it would have not enacted section 62-622(3)(b).
Wireless service meets each of the criteria for ETC status and is therefore
functionally equivalent to Qwest wireline basic local exchange service.
The list of attributes this Commission created for purposes of the Idaho universal service
or "high cost" fund in Case No. GNR- T -98- 7 is markedly similar to the list it reviews in order to
evaluate a carrier s qualification to be an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier ("ETC") under
sections 214 and 254 ofthe Federal Telecommunications Act and 47 CFR 9 54.1O1(a). Those
ETC attributes include the following: (1) voice-grade access to the public switched network; (2)
local usage; (3) dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (i., touch tone); (4) single-party service or
its functional equivalent; (5) access to emergency service where available; (6) access to operator
services; (7) access to interexchange service; (8) access to directory assistance; and (9) toll
limitation. Tr. 431.
This is an appropriate list for the Commission to consider in evaluating the attributes that
must be provided by a competing service to find "functional equivalence" to basic local
exchange service because "universal service" as defined by the Legislature is basic local
exchange service plus any other services designated by the Commission as requiring protection
to remain "widely available to consumers. . . at just and reasonable rates.Idaho Code ~ 62-
Dr. Johnson admits that this stringent definition of functional equivalence has never been adopted by a state
commission. Exhibit 61,
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610B(6). Since the Commission has not expanded the universal service definition beyond "voice
grade access" for "local usage " it is appropriate that the Commission look to the qualifications
for ETC status in considering the scope of "effective competition" for purposes of application of
section 62-622(3).
Both the record built by Qwest in this case and the Commission s June 11 2003 Clear
Talk ETC Order3 undeniably establish that the wireless services available in each of the seven
exchanges meet the nine criteria for establishing ETC eligibility and that the Commission should
explicitly adopt for establishing functional equivalence to basic local exchange service.
First, there is no dispute that wireless service provides voice-grade access to the public
switched network, dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (i., touch tone), single-party service or
its functional equivalent, access to operator services, access to directory assistance or toll
limitation services. The Commission agrees. Clear Talk ETC Order, at
Second, as evidenced by the Clear Talk ETC order, wireless carriers meet the "local
usage" requirement. Id. ("Specifically, the Commission finds that.
. .
Clear Talk currently offers
unlimited local usage in its monthly service plan at no additional charge
4 As Mr. Teitzel's
testimony and exhibits demonstrate, each of the wireless carriers referred to by Qwest in this
docket offer calling plan~ that provide customer a guaranteed level of local usage at a flat rate.
Most every carrier offers multiple plans with varying amounts of price-included local minutes
for a set amount. See Exhibit 22.
Third, the record reveals that wireless service provides access to emergency services
equivalent to, and in many cases superior to, wireline basic local exchange service access. The
911 dialing pattern is identical on wireless and wireline phones. Tr.363. Qwest's testimony
In the Matter of Petition of IAT Communications, Inc. dba NTCH-Idaho, Inc. or Clear Talk for Designation
as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Case No. GNR- T-03-, Order No. 29261 (June 11 2003) ("Clear Talk
ETC Order
The local usage requirement, as specified in 47 c.F.R. ~ 54.101(a)(2), refers to an amount of minutes of use
of exchange service, prescribed by the FCC, provided free of charge to end users. To date, the FCC has not
quantified a minimum amount of local usage required to be included in a universal service offering, but has initiated
a separate proceeding to address this issue. See, Universal Service Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC
98-278 (Oct. 26, 1998). Thus, while Clear Talk's unlimited local usage plan certainly would satisfy any standard
ultimately set by the FCC, an unlimited local offering is not presently required. Qwest assumes that once the FCC
derIDes a standard in this regard, wireless carriers (especially those seeking or having received ETC status) will
make sure they offer plans compliant with that standard. See, e.g., Application of Nextel Partners, In the Matter of
the Application of NPCR, Inc. d/b/a Nextel Partners Seeking Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications
Carrier that May Receive Federal Universal Service Support Case No. GNR-03-, at 4 ("Nextel Partners will
meet the local usage requirement (once quantified by the FCC) by including local usage to its universal service
customers.
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demonstrates that, although the E-911 functionality has not completely evolved on the wireless
side, the FCC has mandated that all wireless carriers fully implement E911 caller autolocate
capability by December 2005. Tr. 388. While Staff offered generalized concerns about wireless
access to 911 (Tr. 650), when pressed through discovery to produce tangible evidence that
wireless customers in the seven exchanges had actually experienced any recent troubles
accessing 911 , Staff was unable to identify even a single instance. Exhibit 45. Staffs
unsupported assertion is at odds not only with the facts, but also with the Commission s Clear
Talk ETC Order. Clear Talk ETC Order, at Specifically, the Commission finds that.
. .
Clear Talk currently provides 911 access to emergency service and will be able to provide E911
service upon request
Finally, wireless services undeniably provide access to interexchange services. While
Staff does not dispute this underlying fact, it does raise concerns that wireless providers do not
offer customers a choice among interexchange carriers. Tr. 644. This concern is both
extraneous (in that the criterion is access to interexchange services, not the right to choose
among various interexchange service providers) and not entirely accurate. For instance
customers having particular preferences with regard to the choice of an interexchange carrier
can select among the six wireless carriers available in their exchanges. Tr. 481. In addition, as
Mr. Teitzel pointed out
, "
in the wireless market, the distinction between local and long distance
calling is all but eliminated with national calling plans.Tr. 380. Again, perhaps the most
dispositive word on this subject has been spoken by the Commission itself in finding Clear Talk
had satisfied ETC criterion 7. Clear Talk ETC Order, at Specifically, the Commission finds
that.
. .
Clear Talk will provide access to an interexchange service through direct
interconnection arrangements with MCI"). Had the Commission believed, like Staff, that an
essential component of basic local exchange service is a choice among scores of inter exchange
carriers, it would have presumably addressed that issue in the Clear Talk ETC proceeding. It did
not, and Qwest sees no basis for drawing a distinction for the instant comparison of wireless and
wireline functionality.
In sum, the evidence in the record, especially when viewed in light of the Commission
June 11 2003 order regarding Clear Talk's ETC designation, makes abundantly clear that the
wireless service provided by the many different carriers identified in this proceeding is
functionally equivalent to Qwest's wire line offering oflocal voice communications services.
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Wireless service is a substitute, not a complement to basic local exchange
servIce.
Dr. Johnson is correct that two goods can be viewed as substitutes, complements, or as so
unrelated as to have no impact on each other (e., eggs and gasoline). Tr. 761-762. Dr. Johnson
goes to great lengths to explain the meaning of substitutes and complements and to then persuade
the Commission that wireless and wireline services are primarily complementary by nature. Tr.
763, 764-765. Accepting Dr. Johnson s own definitions of these terms it is clear that, contrary to
his assertion, wireless and wireline services are not complements.
In his direct testimony, Dr. Johnson states substitutes are "products that have a relation
such that an increase in the price of one will increase the demand for the other or a decrease in
the price of one will decrease the demand for the other." Complements are "products that have a
relation such that an increase in the price of one will decrease the demand for the other or a
decrease in the price of one will increase the demand for the other.Tr. 761. Applying these
definitions adopted from economics literature, Dr. Johnson would apparently have the
Commission believe that if Qwest were to dramatically increase its prices after obtaining price
deregulation in this docket, demand for wireless services would dramatically decrease as a result.
Similarly, if wireless providers were to dramatically decrease their prices, penetration of wire line
services would increase. This makes no sense. Amazingly, Dr. Johnson later contradicts his
own analysis when he acknowledges that even he would switch from wireline to wireless for his
local calling needs ifhis local wireline company were to drastically increase rates. Tr. 766-767.
In other words, Dr. Johnson admits wireless and wirelines are substitutes. This view is strongly
supported by Dr. Lincoln s empirical survey, discussed in Section III. B. 5. immediately below.
Taking an entirely different angle, Staff also implies that wireless and wireline are not
substitutes (and, hence, are merely complements) because pervasive line substitution has not
already occurred. Tr. 724 ifthere is only three to five per cent of the people that have
substituted, that tells me that (wireless) is not competitive ). As a matter of fact and of law, this
position does not withstand scrutiny. From a factual basis, Qwest has offered significant
evidence in this case that actual line and usage substitution is occurring and increasing rapidly.
See Section III. G. below. As a matter oflaw, the Legislature did not adopt a market share test
or require a showing of pervasive substitution as a prerequisite for finding "effective
competition." Instead the Legislature adopted section 62-602(2), which provides "effective
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competition. . . will involve a significant number of customers having both service provider and
service option choices
. . .
" (emphasis added).
Section 62-622(3) provides that the marketplace should regulate the incumbent's rates
once alternative local voice services (i., choice) exists throughout the local exchange area. The
relationship between choice and constraint on prices was recognized by the Commission in its
Burley decision.5 In that case the Commission concluded that competitive choice was available
to only 30% ofthe customers in the Burley exchange and accordingly expressed the concern that
U S WEST could cover its competitive losses by raising its rates for those customers. . . who
have no choice of service providers.,,6 The Commission further noted that "the economic
incentive to ignore those areas where no competition or regulation exists could also jeopardize
the availability of high quality universal service at just and reasonable rates.7 These
observations underscore the purpose of the "effective competition" standard, i., to determine
that sufficient competitive forces are in place to constrain the incumbent's prices. Qwest will
demonstrate in Section III. G. that where, as here, Qwest cannot isolate or identify those who are
unlikely to exercise their choice (because of preference, specialized, non-voice uses of wirelines
or economic hardship) the power of the majority of customers to choose will constrain prices and
protect all wirelines customers.
Meanwhile, to require as Staff would insist the Commission do, that Qwest show that it
has already lost substantial market share to its wireless competitors is contrary to the statute. It
represents one of Staffs many attempts to ignore the intent and language of the legislature.
Wireless and wireline services are substitutes (not complements) for local voice calling purposes
under Staffs witnesses' own definitions. Staff cannot avoid this common sense conclusion by
attempting to apply a market loss standard that is not present in statute.
4. Wireline customers in the seven exchanges perceive wireless to be a
functionally equivalent substitute service.
At the evidentiary hearing, Commissioner Smith inquired whether customer perception or
the reality of the wireless service offerings should control the Commission s evaluation of the
three criteria set forth in section 62-622(3)(b). Tr. 497-498. Commissioner Smith's question is a
In the Matter of the Application of U WEST Communications, Inc. for Deregulation of Basic Local
Exchange Service in its Burley, !daho Exchange Case No. USW-99-, Order No. 28369, (May 3 2000).
!d. at 10.
!d.
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very good one. Both Qwest and Staff answered that both are important to consider. Qwest's
testimony and evidence in this proceeding supports Qwest's application from both perspectives.
From the standpoint of customer perceptions, Dr. Douglas Lincoln designed
implemented and testified about a statistically valid, highly conservative8 opinion survey
conducted in the seven exchanges. That study, which tracked results both on an aggregated and
disaggregated (exchange by exchange) basis 9 demonstrates that a large percentage of Qwest
wireline customers in the seven exchanges could solely rely on wireless service for purposes of
local voice communications. Dr. Lincoln s survey tracked the responses from two views, one
taking the respondents' answers without analysis , and a second view adding those responses that
reflected non-voice reasons to the "yes" groUp.
lO Dr. Lincoln s findings are summarized in the
following table.
Table A - Could you solely rely upon wireless service for local calling purposes?
Residential Small Business
Yes Yes (when non-Yes Yes (when non-
voice added)voice added)
Aggregate (all 7 50.62.2%30.85.4%
exchanges)
Boise 48.62.29.85.
Caldwell 62.75.29.70.
Idaho Falls 48.51.9%29.85.4%
Meridian 33.48.20.100.
Nampa 50.66.20.85.
Pocatello 61.4%63.40.92.
Twin Falls 53.71.4%48.75.
The data is conservative because it was gathered only from those who still maintained a Qwest wireline
(Tr. 223) thereby likely understating the number of who recognized that wireless can be substituted for basic local
exchange service. Tr. 229. In addition, the survey used a strict surrogate for substitutability by asking if customers
could "solely rely on" wireless service for local calling.
It should be noted that Dr. Lincoln's survey was designed to produce statistically reliable results for the
group of affected customers in the seven exchanges as a whole. As a result, were the Commission to rely
completely on the results disaggregated by exchange, the confidence level of the accuracy of the results for the
disaggregated areas would decrease. Tr, 329-330,10 Non-voice reasons included data usage and concerns about directory listings.
Exhibit at 4; Exhibit 10 at 4; Exhibit 113,
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Dr. Lincoln s findings indicate that a significant percentage of Qwest customers in each
of the seven exchanges perceive that they could solely rely on cell phones for local voice calling.
These findings were obtained despite the conservative nature of the survey design, which
resulted in contacts being made only to Qwest wireline customers. Tr. 228-229.
These survey results are important because they demonstrate that large numbers of the
actual customers who will be affected if Qwest' s application is granted perceive that they have a
viable alternative to Qwest's basic local exchange service in the form of wireless service.12 This
is not the opinion of an expert or of a policy-maker, it is the opinion of the consumers who will
exercise the choice. In enacting section 62-622(3) the Legislature stated that its intent that
effective competition
" "
will involve a significant number of customers having both service
provider and service option choices.Idaho Code, ~62-602(2). Dr. Lincoln s survey results
demonstrate that the Legislative intent has been realized with the development of wireless
competition in these seven exchanges.
Dr. Johnson would have the Commission believe that the survey results are "skewed
upward" because the survey did not inquire whether customers are "willing to rely solely upon
wireless service.Tr. 766 (emphasis original). But that is not the point as Dr. Johnson
testimony so aptly demonstrates: "could get rid of my wireline service but I'm not willing -
unless someone forces me to (e.g. by drastically raising the price).Tr. 766-767. It is this
possibility of customer reaction to significant price increases, not the actual loss of market share
to competitors, that demonstrates competition is effective. Dr. Lincoln's survey demonstrates
the price-constraining forces of competition are in play in the telecommunications market in the
seven exchanges.
5. Staff offered no verifiable, empirical data to support its opposition to
Owest's application on the grounds of functional equivalence.
While Staff criticizes Dr. Lincoln s survey on various grounds, Staff did not avail itself of
the opportunity to conduct its own survey to test whether Dr. Lincoln s findings were accurate or
inaccurate. Tr. 798. Instead, Staff offered only its belief that wireless is not functionally
equivalent to wire line basic local exchange services, without any statistically-meaningful or
empirical data to support it. Exhibit 57. Staff testimony presented two highly-untrustworthy and
This interpretation of the data is consistent with the fact that the Commission received relatively few
written customer comments objecting to the deregulation of basic local exchange service (Tr. 102-103), and that
even fewer customers chose to participate in the Commission-sponsored workshops on this topic. Tr, 516-521.
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poorly-designed "studies" - Mr. Hart's conversation with several young adults (including his
stepson) and a nonscientific "test" of wireless service quality conducted by Mr. Hart on March
2003. Tr. 648-650. As Dr. Lincoln explains in detail in his rebuttal testimony, Mr. Hart'
March 17, 2003 "test" is, from the perspective of statistics and study design, fraught with errors
and flaws that render Mr. Hart's findings meaningless. Tr.282-286. Staffs uncorroborated
criticisms and speculation about customer perceptions should be given little weight in the face of
the thorough empirical evidence of customer opinion offered in this proceeding by Qwest.
The assertions of Staff and Intervenors concerning extension phones, FAX
machines, Internet access and the like are not factually accurate; nor do they
justify denial of Qwest's application.
Staff and the Intervenors oppose Qwest's application claiming that wireless service is not
functionally equivalent to (or, in some cases, not competitively priced with) Qwest's wireline
basic local exchange service because wireless customers cannot access the Internet (at least on a
basis Staff considers cost-effective) (Tr. 654), cannot do so on a high speed basis comparable to
DSL (Id.), cannot provide DSL itself (Tr. 613), cannot send or receive faxes (Tr. 550), cannot
utilize extension phone capabilities (Tr. 584) and cannot replicate a hunting/rollover function
(Tr. 622).
For the reasons stated above in Section III. A. and in the briefing and oral argument
incorporated herein, it was not the intention of the Legislature that rate regulation be continued in
order to control prices for these uses of wire line service once an effective competitive alternative
for voice service arose. Nor are any of these uses and functions components of basic local
exchange service. Indeed, several of the examples presented relate to use of a price-deregulated
services (e., DSL
, "
rollover ) which the witness considered important and was not aware was
already price deregulated. See, e., Tr. 616. The decision regarding the retention of rate
regulation to protect customers' use of those services was made by the Legislature fifteen years
ago, and must not be overturned here by a misapplication of section 62-622(3). That said, Qwest
has demonstrated that the rapid development of technology in the competitive wireless market
means wireless customers have access, or will soon gain access, to these features and
functionalities.
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Staff and Intervenors underestimate the services that are available to
wireless customers.
As Mr. Teitzel explained at length, a number of wireless products exist to permit access
to the Internet and to electronic mail. Wireless Internet access is now available and current data
transmission rates are comparable to dial-up wireline speeds. Tr. 392. Further, as to high speed
access to the Internet, both wireless and other non-wireline options are available to customers.
Even without any telephone, broadband access to the Internet is available through Cable One at
virtually the same price as Qwest's DSL product. Tr. 394 fn. 9. Ironically, Intervenor witnesses
Joel Sales (Tr. 601) and Sharon Herrick (Tr. 584) testified that they currently subscribe to
broadband cable Internet access.
Undoubtedly the most repeated complaint raised by witnesses for the Intervenors was
their belief that wireless phones cannot be used with extension phones. See, e., Tr. 584 with
adults and this size of a home I absolutely have to have a land line with extension phones
As Mr. Teitzel has explained, this is simply inaccurate. Mr. Teitzel presented evidence of two
products, a Cell Socket available at The Wireless Store in Eagle and a comparable product found
at Radio Shack, that enable consumers to obtain extension phone functionality in conjunction
with their wireless phones. Tr. 436-437; 447.
Several of the witnesses for the Intervenors complained that wireless is not functionally
equivalent because it does not offer hunting/rollover-type functions typically seen in small and
large businesses (Tr. 549) or because it does not operate facsimile machines. Tr. 550. Again, as
Mr. Teitzel's testimony suggests this is not entirely accurate. Mr. Teitzel testified that wireless
phones can be used to interface with facsimile machines. Tr. 441; Exhibit 27. Mr. Teitzel also
testified about a product being introduced by a company called "Ascendant" that provides
hunting/rollover service in a wireless PBX environment. Tr. 437-439; Exhibit 25. In addition
Lucent also offers a PBX integration device for wireless phones. Tr. 485. While Qwest does not
suggest that these products offer an immediate solution to every small business customer, they
are examples of how "wireless service thrives in a deregulated environment, where demand
drives technology.Tr. 438.
Thus, in many cases Staff and Intervenors are simply wrong about the equipment and
capabilities that are presently available for use with wireless services (e., Internet access
extension phones), while in other cases the record shows that the technology is being introduced
that, when made available to a wider market, will provide complete solutions to all of the needs
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identified by Intervenors (e., operation of facsimile machines and PBX systems).
Nevertheless, the argument that not every customer today has a wireless option to meet every
application to which customers have adapted their wirelines does not justify denial of Qwest'
application. The standard for effective competition does not require that every customer have a
completely viable competitive choice. Staff agrees. Tr. 726 I would agree that you don t have
to have 100-percent universal competitive choices
Effective competition is present when prices are constrained by the
market, not lust when 00% of the customers have a viable choice.
Under section 62-622(3) Qwest is not, required to demonstrate that every customer in the
seven exchanges has a choice that is so appealing that he or she has either already disconnected
Qwest's wire line or is likely to select a competitive alternative in the immediately foreseeable
future. Clearly if that were the standard for deregulation, pricing relief would likely only come
after it was too late. Nevertheless the earnest protestations of Staff and Intervenors suggest that
they believe that the identification of consumer preferences (e., keeping a telephone number or
having a published directory listing without additional charge) or of wire line-related uses that are
not basic local exchange service (e.g. DSL
, "
roll-over ) are central to analysis of whether there is
effective competition. This is a fundamental misconception.
As Mr. Cusick testified in the Burley case, regulation is an imperfect substitute for
competition, the purpose of which is "to protect consumers from companies that may take
advantage of a monopoly position by charging excessive rates.13 If customers have choices
Qwest is not a monopoly. Nor is Qwest a monopoly ifit cannot charge "excessive" rates.
All evidence is that Qwest cannot exercise monopoly power if rate deregulation is
granted. Mr. Shoo shan testified that "any changes Qwest makes in its rates for basic local
exchange service will have to take into account wireless competition and customers' ability to
shift their calling to anyone of several alternative providers.Tr. 168. Qwest witness John
Souba, noted
, "
the current competitive environment will not allow Qwest to charge 'excessive
rates for local exchange services without a significant risk of losing large numbers of customers
to wireless providers.Tr. 61. Dr. Lincoln s survey demonstrated that significant percentages of
customers perceived they have competitive choice. Further, in Dr. Lincoln s expert opinion the
survey s findings "should provide the Commission some measure of assurance with regard to
Tr. 164 citing, Case No. USW-99-15, See also In.
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Staffs oft-repeated fear that a price-deregulated Qwest will significantly increase its prices and
hold Idahoans captive.Tr. 270. In fact, Dr. Lincoln stated, that Qwest "would be making a
serious marketing mistake by making any kind of significant price increase.Tr. 271. This
advice was not lost on Qwest's President who stated
, "
I can t afford to lose the 30, 45, or 60
percent of our market" who would react to a sharp price increase. Tr. 540. ve got to target
our products and our pricing to make them attractive to that end of the market (that might
switch), and those that might not otherwise change will get the benefit ofthe fact that we have
two competing, competitive services.Id. This recognition that wireline prices are constrained
by wireless competition is also supported by the analysts. The Heritage Foundation recently
published a report that contained this observation:
And while only about 6.5 million Americans rely exclusively on their
wireless phones, with no wireline subscription, some 18 percent now
consider their wireless phones to be their primary phone line. Most
important. even for those who do not currently rely on wireless, it serves
as a vital check on the market power of wire line incumbents
That Qwest cannot exercise pricing freedom to extract "excessive" rates from those who
cannot choose a competitive alternative is underscored by the undisputed fact that Qwest cannot
isolate those customers who are using Qwest wirelines for non-voice purposes such as operation
of a FAX machine, dial-up Internet access or a key system. Tr. 726. This means that Qwest
cannot simply increase rates for that group of customers without increasing rates for all business
or all residence customers, thereby, as Qwest witness Me. Souba put it
, "
driv(ing) away the very
base of customers Qwest needs in order to survive.Tr. 99.
This phenomenon of price constraint created by that group of customers who are willing
to switch to wireless will also serve to protect those customers for whom paying today
regulated rates is something of a hardship, as in the case to which Commissioner Hansen referred
in the hearing. Tr. 492. In a deregulated environment, these customers will not only have choice
between the various low cost wireless plans to which Mr. Teitzel refers in his testimony (Tr. 492-
493), they will have the choice of remaining with Qwest wireline service at a price that is
constrained by competition. IS In addition, Qwest will continue to make stand-alone dial tone
Tr, 396 citing, Heritage Foundation Reports, Local Telephone Competition: Unbundling the FCC's Rules
February 10, 2003. (emphasis added).IS Qwest has also committed to the Commission that it will not raise rates until 2005, at the earliest. Tr. 525.
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services (including an enhanced form of measured service ), and Idaho Telephone Assistance
Plan discounted rates available to customers. Tr. 64.
Thus, wireless services - even if they are not an alternative for everyone - will constrain
prices for wireline service, and that is what is meant by "effective competition." In addition
Qwest's commitments to the Commission and its customers will provide further protection to
those who choose not to, or cannot, use competitive alternatives.
The record shows that wireless providers offer a competitively-priced
alternative for each segment of Qwest wireline local voice communications
service customers.
How to determine whether two services are competitively priced.
As with the terms "functionally equivalent" and "reasonably available " the Legislature
did not offer a specific test for determining whether an alternative service is "competitively
priced" with wireline basic local exchange service. Mr. Hart conceded that to be competitively
priced two services need not have the identical price but merely be "similar enough that a
customer can choose either one without significant difference in economic cost." Tr. 674-675.
Mr. Hart also conceded that what constitutes a "significant difference" in cost is a matter of
customer perception to some extent. Tr. 675.
Commissioner Smith inquired of several witnesses during the evidentiary hearing how
the Commission is to apply this prong of the statutory analysis, and, more specifically, whether
consumer perceptions or actual data regarding pricing plans should guide the Commission
evaluation. See, e.g., Tr. 502-503; Tr. 811-812. Qwest believes that both perception and reality
play an important role in evaluating whether wireless alternatives are competitively priced.
Qwest has provided the Commission abundant, methodologically-sound data demonstrating that
both as a matter of perception and reality, wireless providers are offering competitively-priced
alternatives to Qwest's basic local exchange customers throughout the seven exchanges.
As Dr. Lincoln explains in his testimony,17 whether two services or products are
competitively priced requires application of the concept of the value proposition. 18 The value
proposition focuses on customer value, which is a key concept used today in the marketing
Qwest has offered to increase by one-third the block of time included in the montWy price of residence
measured service. Tr, 526.17 It is important to note that Staff, while disagreeing with Dr. Lincoln s application of the "value
proposition" concept, does not disagree with the applicability of the value proposition as a concept for evaluating
competitive pricing. See Exhibit 65,18 The value proposition is graphically illustrated in Exhibit 4.
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profession to assess the degree to which multiple offerings are competitively priced. Tr. 213.
Customers assess the value of anyone offering by thinking about what they receive in return
(i., the benefit) for what they are expected to pay for that offering. Id. If two products are
perceived to have equal benefits, customers will choose the lower cost offering. Id. If two
products have equal costs, customers will choose the offering they perceive to provide greater
benefits. Tr. 214. It is important to note that "competitively priced" does not mean lower priced
as Dr. Johnson suggested.19 In many cases, given the value offered by the alternative service
customers may well be willing to spend a bit more for the alternative (still considering the two to
be competitively priced) if the alternative service offers more value. Tr. 215-217.
Qwest urges the Commission, while incorporating the value proposition as the correct
measure of competitive pricing, to keep in mind that the bottom line of the statute is whether
customers have a viable, similarly-priced alternative? If so, Qwest, realizing its competitors will
deplete its customer base if it significantly raises prices (Tr. 61), will not do so. The existence of
this type of price constraint is at the heart of section 62-622(3).
Consumers in the seven exchanges think that wireless is competitively
priced.
Dr. Lincoln s survey conclusively shows that consumers in the seven exchanges perceive
wireless service to be competitively priced. Of the 315 residential respondents having a definite
opinion as to how cell phone service is priced compared with wireline service (i., excluding the
unsures ), 55.6% believe that it is "about the same" or "less than" wireline phone service. See
Exhibit at 5. Ofthe 307 small business respondents with definite opinions on the same
question, 55.0% think wireless is priced the same as or less than wireline phone service. See
Exhibit 10 at
Dr. Lincoln s results can be viewed on an exchange-specific basis as wel1.2o The
following table summarizes Dr. Lincoln s exchange-specific findings with regard to the pricing
perceptions of those with a definite opinion in each exchange.
In response to a question posed by Commissioner Smith, Dr. Johnson stated that a service might be
competitively priced if 97% of all consumers had a wireless option that would save them money. Tr, 812.20 See fn. 9.
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Table B - Do you think the monthly price of using cell phone service is about the same,
more than, or less than the price of using traditional phone services?
Residential Small Business
Same or Less More Same or Less More
Aggregate (all 7 55.44.4%55.45.
exchan!!es)
Boise 53.47.58.41.7%
Caldwell 54.2%45.50.50.
Idaho Falls 56.53.36.4%63.
Meridian 40.59.39.60.
Nampa 70.29.4%61.5%38.
Pocatello .51.4%48.63.36.4%
Twin Falls 75.25.60.39.3%
It is clear that customers of each of the seven exchanges think that wireless service is
competitively priced with Qwest's wireline basic local exchange service. Dr. Lincoln s findings
also point to one other very important fact: with experience using wireless phones, consumer
perception that wireless service is competitively priced grows. Tr. 238.
3. In reality, competitively priced wireless packages are available in each
exchange for each segment of the residential and small business markets.
Everyone agrees that comparing wireless prices to Qwest's Commission-ordered rate
structure is difficult because of the numerous variables presented by the competitive market
pricing for wireless. See, e.Tr. 779 these services typically have different pricing structures
which makes it difficult to make an 'apples to apples ' comparison between particular wireline
services and particular wireless offerings ). Nevertheless Staff attempted to do so in Mr. Hart'
Exhibit 101. Thereafter in its rebuttal, Qwest filed a competing spreadsheet, in the form ofMr.
Teitzel's Exhibit 19 , to address some of the mistakes made by Staff in an effort to provide a
more reliable comparison.22 Staff attempted to depict price differentials from the view of three
21
Exhibit at 5; Exhibit 10 at 5; Exhibit 113.
Following the submission ofMr. Teitze1's rebuttal exhibits, Mr. Hart filed a "revised" version of his
testimony and Exhibit 101 , in which he corrected some of the errors pointed out by Qwest. This revised testimony
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different customer segments (the low, average and high usage customer) in both the residential
and small business context. For ease of comparison Qwest's Exhibit 19 followed the same
structure. However, Staffs Exhibit 101 is significantly flawed in its underlying assumptions and
methodology. In contrast, Qwest's Exhibit 19 presents a methodologically sound comparison.a. Exhibit 101 , even as revised, is too flawed to be relied upon.
Through its rebuttal testimony and cross examination of Mr. Hart, Qwest was able to
highlight a series of methodological and other flaws plaguing Exhibit 101. First, Mr. Hart
admittedly did not attempt to back out data usage despite the fact that the focus of sections 62-
622(3) and 62-603(1) is on local voice service. Tr. 682. The result ofMr. Hart's inclusion of
dial-up data usage is to increase the projections as to how many minutes low, average and high
usage consumers need in their wireless plans, and therefore to increase the price differential
between the products. Tr. 683.
Second, even assuming arguendo that the Commission agrees with Staff that data usage
should be considered in this case, Mr. Hart's methodology in projecting total minutes of use still
artificially inflated the minutes of use and, hence, the difference in prices. Staff relied upon
Qwest's SLUS (subscriber line usage study) data, which tracks only originating local phone
usage. Staff used the 2002 SLUS hold time data (which includes significant dial-up Internet
usage),23
while Qwest isolated for voice calling by using 1996 hold times. Tr. 408. Staff then
doubled the number of 2002 outgoing minutes it deemed relevant for each customer segment.
Tr. 689. This is a defect in Staffs analysis because dial-up Internet access represents outgoing
traffic only. Tr. 692. Since Internet service providers do not call customers, Staffs estimates are
artificially high. Id. Mr. Hart acknowledged this error during cross-examination. Tr. 693.
Third, in segregating peak from off-peak periods (to determine the size ofthe wireless
calling plan needed), Staff erred by calculating the typical peak period as running from 6 am to 9
, Monday through Friday, but originally described that it had selected 7 am to 9 pm since it
was the typical peak period used by wireless carriers. After the first day of evidentiary hearings
Mr. Teitzel pointed out Staffs error to Mr. Hart, who then revised his opinion, claiming 6 am to
9 pm is the most common peak period. Tr. 687. Again, the result of Mr. Hart's error is to
and exhibit reflect a "big change in the numbers" and a reduction in the differentials between wireless and wire line
~rices. Tr, 677-678-3 Qwest's average flat residential hold time increased.by over 100% between 1996 and 2002, driven by an
ever increasing level of Internet usage. Tr, 404, Lincoln rebuttal; Hart testimony explaining use of 2002 hold times.
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artificially increase the average minutes of use needed for each customer segment and thereby
exaggerate the differences in wireless/wireline prices.
Overstatements ofthe amount of peak time usage consumed by customers pervaded
Exhibit 101. "Average hold time " is a key part of the calculation of the length of time
customers actually spend on the phone. Tr. 696. Mr. Hart admitted he used the median number
of calls, rather than the average number of calls, to make the calculation that purported to be the
average length of calls. Tr. 698. During cross examination, Qwest established that this unique
approach to the calculation yielded an "average hold time" for flat rated business customers of 6
minutes, while simply dividing total time by total calls produced a true average of 2.90 minutes.
Tr. 698-702; Exhibits , 39
, &
40. Mr. Hart admitted that his "assumption" increased the price
differentials between wireless and wireline services depicted on Exhibit 101. Tr. 705.
Mr. Hart also made the assumption that calling features included in many wireless plans
do not add to the plans ' value compared with featureless wireline service. Exhibit 101; Tr. 400.
Nevertheless, the majority of Qwest residential and business wireline customers subscribe to at
least one future. Tr. 410 jn. 18. Mr. Teitzel's Exhibits 19 and 20 present the estimated price
differentials both assuming no additional wireline features and assuming state average feature
usage. Exhibits 19 & 20. Again, Staffs exclusion of this consideration tends to artificially
increase the actual price differentials customers would face assuming they migrated from Qwest
wireline to wireless service for local voice calling purposes.
In another important omission, Staff admittedly failed to apply taxes and surcharges
applicable to both wireline and wireless service in calculating the price differentials shown in
Exhibit 101. Exhibit 101; Tr. 400. As several of the Intervenor witnesses point out, taxes and
surcharges on wireline service significantly exceed those imposed on wireless service providers.
See, e., Tr. 586 these charges are unfairly influencing the difference in price ). Because
wireline taxes and surcharges are larger both in real dollars and as a percentage of revenues
Staffs exclusion of this information again tends to artificially distort the pricing differentials
between wire line and wireless services.
Finally, Staffs use of static blocks of minutes for each carrier - irrespective of how each
carrier packages its service - is a methodological flaw that inflates the price differentials. As Mr.
Teitzel's Exhibit 20 explains on a carrier-specific basis, each wireless carrier has its own manner
of packaging plan minutes. Some include unlimited or virtually unlimited evening, night and
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weekend minutes, while still others charge only for outgoing minutes. Also, each carrier uses its
own definition of peak and off peak hours in shaping its price plan. Tr. 398-399; Exhibit 20.
Staff ignores these differences. Exhibit 101 offers a one-size-fits-all approach, treating all
incoming and outgoing minutes between 6 am and 9 pm, Monday through Friday, as peak
minutes, regardless of how each carrier s plans are actually structured. Tr. 398-399. Again, the
impact of this overly-simplified methodology is to capture too many minutes when estimating
low, average and high usage, which leads to a perception that "average" customers require
wireless plans that include more minutes, and that are more expensive, than necessary to
replicate wireline usage. Taking a more accurate, carrier-specific approach, Mr. Teitzel derived
the appropriate wireless plan to use for comparison by taking into consideration each carrier
and each plan s parameters. Exhibits 19-21.
Mr. Hart's analysis on Exhibit 102, which purport to demonstrate that "the average
customer does not spend enough on long distance to make up the difference (Tr. 643), is equally
flawed. Among other errors made in the preparation of this document, Mr. Hart assumed all
long distance calls were made during peak hours. Tr. 713. This is an improper assumption in
light of the fact that many wireless carriers offer unlimited toll calling during off peak hours. See
Exhibit 22. Furthermore, Mr. Hart assumed for purposes of his analysis that customers paid only
15 cents for intrastate long distance calls (Tr. 708) when the confidential discovery responses
provided by Qwest indicates that business and residence customers pay substantially more per
minute on average. Exhibit 42; Tr. 709-711. Thus, Mr. Hart's assumptions about toll prices paid
by "average" customers did not represent actual customer behavior but did serve, once again, to
increase the difference in prices depicted on his exhibits.
Exhibit 19 demonstrates that competitively-priced wireless plans
exist for each segment of residential and small business wireline
customer.
As Dr. Lincoln explains, there is no objectively-identifiable threshold for determining
whether two services will be perceived as being competitively priced by consumers in general.
While Qwest certainly agrees with Dr. Lincoln s assertion, Mr. Teitzel's Exhibit 19 highlights
each carrier that offers a wireless package for a given customer segment that is priced $10.00 or
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less24 than the comparable wireline service, or that is priced less than the comparable wireline
service. For each customer segment, both in the residential and small business markets, a
minimum of three carriers offer similarly-priced packages. Exhibit 19.
During the cross examination ofMr. Teitzel, Commissioner Smith asked Mr. Teitzel
whether customers have a realistic assessment of their level of usage. Tr. 503. Mr. Teitzel
responded that customers do their best to evaluate their own usage when initially selecting a
plan, and then adjust if and when they discover that they have significantly over- or under-
estimated their actual usage levels. Tr.503. Given this reality and the abundance of
competitively-priced offerings available in each exchange for each customer segment (See
Exhibit 22), it is clear that the Commission should find wireless services to be competitively
priced with wireline basic local exchange services for purposes of meeting customers' local
voice communications needs.
Staffs extreme position regarding what constitutes competitive pricing
defies common sense and assumes Idaho customers are too
unsophisticated to make logical pricing decisions.
While Staff never provides the Commission with a specific, objective measure of what
constitutes "competitively priced " the guidance it does provide the Commission borders on the
extreme. For instance, Mr. Hart asserts in his direct testimony that a $3.50 differential
(notwithstanding the additional value wireless customers receive in terms of mobility, added
safety, free long distance, etc.) is too great to be considered competitively-priced. Tr. 639.
Dr. Johnson offers two approaches to answering the question. First, the Commission
should evaluate whether the evidence shows that 97%of customers have a wireless option that
would save money. Tr.812. Ifnot, the Commission should evaluate whether patterns of pricing
have "emerged over time" that suggest the incumbent's prices are already being driven by
competition. Id.
Dr. Johnson s 97% standard is ridiculous, both in terms of the percentage threshold and
in terms of the fact that it requires a Commission finding that wireless options are actually less
expensive for this overwhelming majority. As to the second proposal, it requires that Qwest's
prices already be deregulated, as Commissioner Smith suggested. Tr. 814. Despite Dr.
Qwest uses this $10.00 differential for illustrative purposes only to suggest that several wireless plans in
each usage group are priced in a manner that many customers could find competitive with their wire line rate
particularly where they are now paying for both wireless and wire line services.
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Johnson s protestation that "there s much opportunity for Qwest to act as ifit were subjected
competitive pressure under the current environment" (Tr. 814), basic local exchange lines are
regulated. Qwest has discounted its custom calling features and toll prices in packaged offerings
designed to compete with competition?5 Further more, it would be grossly unfair to conclude
that Qwest's prices in deregulated markets have not been driven by competition. The fact is, no
record evidence concerning how Qwest has used its Title 62 pricing freedoms has been
developed in this case, because Dr. Johnson s "standard" was not offered until he was
responding live to questions at the hearing. In particular, since Qwest is not required to submit
retail Title 62 contracts to the Commission for review, the Commission is in no position to
adequately assess how Qwest has used pricing freedoms in a competitive market.
In summary, Staffhas made no real attempt to identify a threshold or even a range to aid
the Commission in evaluating whether wireless and wireline services are competitively priced.
Mr. Hart's fatally flawed exhibits and Dr. Johnson s unrealistic approaches leave the
Commission without meaningful guidance from Staff, except for Mr. Hart's insistence that "the
market is. . . the best evidence, we ve got." Tr. 724. Qwest agrees. And, as the section
immediately below demonstrates, Idaho customers find wireless pricing competitive.
Idaho customers are currently willing to pay for wireline, wireless and
cable services simultaneously.
The Commission s evaluation of whether wireless service is competitively priced with
wireline basic local exchange service should be informed by the fact that, today, customers are
willing to pay for wireless service, even though, if Staffs analysis is to be believed, it offers
limited utility. Indeed, several of the witnesses for the Intervenors confirmed that they
personally pay for a wireline home phone, one or more cell phones and, in some cases, cable
broadband Internet access. See, e., Tr. 570; 584; 601. This fact should give the Commission
comfort. If consumers do not feel that it is cost-prohibitive to pay for wireline, wireless and
cable broadband services simultaneously, it is very unlikely that they would feel uncomfortable
about migrating to wireless for local voice calling if Qwest were to significantly raise its basic
local exchange rates. There is no reason to believe that customers are not able to access the
relative benefits and costs associated with a particular wireless plan as compared with Qwest
wireline service.
Note that Qwest's competitors are not required to offer any of their services on an "ala carte" basis.
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There is no dispute that wireless services are reasonably available
throughout the local calling area.
There is no dispute that wireless services are "reasonably available" to both residential
and small business customers throughout the seven exchanges. Tr. 357; 657. Indeed customers
have at least six separate wireless providers from which to choose in each exchange. Tr. 357.
The scope of the service area offered by each competing wireless carrier is depicted on Qwest's
Exhibit 12.
While Staff attempts to raise concerns about a few pockets of poor wireless reception, it
has done nothing to locate any such "pockets" or to quantify the number of customers who might
be affected. In fact, no witness has challenged the incontrovertible fact that wireless service is
available from numerous carriers in nearly every location within the seven exchanges. Tr. 177.
F. Qwest's evidence demonstrates that the statute s requirements for
deregulation have been met for each of the seven exchanges.
Although Staff did not raise the issue in prefiled testimony, at hearing Mr. Hart stated
one of the weaknesses of Qwest's case (is that) they have not done an exchange-by-exchange
analysis as is required by the Code.Tr. 736. This is a mischaracterization of Qwest's case.
Qwest provided an "exchange-by-exchange" analysis of the only feature of the evidence that
varied by exchange, i., the availability ofthe service from specific wireless providers in each
exchange. See, Exhibits 12; 13.
On the other hand, simply because the same facts apply in more than one exchange does
not mean that Qwest has failed to offer sufficient exchange-specific evidence to support its case
for each exchange. Whether wireless service is "functionally equivalent" to basic local exchange
service is not a function of geography. The requirements of the statute and the characteristics of
wireless and wireline service do not vary by exchange.
Similarly whether wireless service is "competitively priced" with Qwest's basic local
exchange service does not require a separate analysis for each exchange since all of the seven
exchanges are in the same rate group for purposes of Qwest' s basic local exchange service rates.
Qwest southern Idaho Basic Local Exchange Tariff, Section 2. Likewise the rates offered by
the wireless carriers do not vary by exchange, although when certain providers used for the price
comparisons do not offer service within a particular exchange, Qwest noted that fact. See
Exhibits 19; 20.
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The only evidence offered by Qwest that was presented on an aggregated basis were the
results of Dr. Lincoln s survey. Dr. Lincoln provided the Commission with findings concerning
the opinions of the Idaho customers who would be affected by Qwest's application, if granted
which findings had a margin of error no greater than 5% at the 95% confidence level. Tr.230.
Obviously, had Dr. Lincoln been required to design a study with the same narrow margin of error
and the same confidence level for each exchange, he would have had to conduct separate studies
for each exchange. It is doubtful, however, that this would have been worthwhile since a critic
could always suggest that the results for the population as a whole do not reflect the attitudes in
particular neighborhoods etc. On the other hand, no one has offered a plausible explanation as to
why the attitudes on something as ubiquitous as wireline and wireless telephones would differ
significantly from exchange to exchange.
This is not to say that Dr. Lincoln s survey results cannot be disaggregated. Dr. Lincoln
provided that information in two data responses that were combined to create Staffs Exhibit
113. As Dr. Lincoln explained, focusing on the specific exchange results, as opposed to the
overall results, affects the margin of error for the individual exchanges (making it greater that
5%). Tr. 330. However, if one looks at the disaggregated results presented in Exhibit 113 for
the critical substitution and pricing questions, it can be observed that, with few exceptions, the
individual exchange results were similar to the overall survey results. See, e., Exhibit 113
p.
(household could solely rely on wireless service).
Substantial evidence supports the conclusion that wireless substitution
amounts to a national trend, and the FCC has recognized wireless services
provide competition to incumbent local service providers.
In presenting its case Staffhas apparently chosen to ignore the fact that wireless
competition for local services as experienced by Qwest in Idaho is part of a national trend.
While such tactics are convenient, they are unreasonable in light of the fact that Staff relies on
information external to Idaho when it appears to support its position even if it is only anecdotaf6
Further, Staff makes no attempt to provide evidence that Idaho differs from the national data
with respect to adaptation to wireless services.
For example, Mr. Hart testified there are times that customers "incur() roaming or long distance charges
even when calling from home. Tr, 645, Staff responses in discovery revealed that the source for this allegation was
an article from USA Today describing the experience of a Texas customer. Tr, 421. The article indicated that
wireless providers had addressed this issue. !d.
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1. Wireless providers are making a nation-wide effort to attract local
customers through advertising.
A number of wireless providers are advertising their service as a substitute for wireline
phone service. See, Exhibit 15. AT&T Wireless, has asserted
, "
this could be your only phone
while Leap Wireless' Cricket product is billed as an "affordable wireless alternative to traditional
landline phone service " and Nextel asks
, "
who says your cell phone can t do it all?" Tr. 156.
Leap has been sufficiently successful with this approach that it reported that 26% of its
customers have disconnected their wireline phones. Id. Clear Talk advertises its offering as "the
Mobile Local Phone" that "includes all your local calls.Tr. 195.
More colorfully, AT&T Wireless secured some of the notoriously expensive air time
during the last Superbowl, to run an advertisement parodying an Antiques Roadshow episode on
which a baffled collector seeks an opinion as to the purpose and value of a push-button telephone
with attached wire. As the "appraiser" advises the phone has no value, the announcer states
when your wireless phone can be your only phone, that's M-Life from AT&T wireless.Tr.
293. Meanwhile Cricket's advertisements depicting wire line phones going over a cliff, inquire
why pay for both? Cricket it could be your only phone.Tr. 294.
These and similar advertisements make customers ever more aware that wireless offers a
complete alternative to their wireline service. They also demonstrate a concerted effort by
wireless providers to attract local wireline customers, an effort they would be unlikely to
undertake if they believed their services were not competitive. See also, Exhibit 16 (containing
advertisements published in Idaho).
Numerous articles and studies reflect the national trend toward wireless
substitution.
Qwest has offered substantial evidence that the national trend toward wireless
substitution has been documented in news reports and in scientific study. This evidence was
offered through the testimonies ofMssrs. Teitzel and Shooshan. The information cited ranges
from the description of individual customer experiences with substitution (See, e., Tr. 157
citing, Simon Romero
, "
When the Cellphone is the Home Phone " from The New York Times)
comprehensive empirical studies such as that conducted by CIT-PriMetrica and Ernst & Young,
which concluded
, "
nearly 50 percent ofU S households would be prepared to switch from a
wire line service to a family wireless option with 600 shared base minutes offered at $50 per
month.Tr.414. All of this information was provided to Staff in discovery, yet none prompted
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questions from Staff at the hearing, or found its way into Staff s presentation of the issues.
Looking at this case from Staff s perspective could leave one with the erroneous impression that
the questions presented in this case are unique, or that Qwest's advocacy is presented in this state
because of some peculiarity of Idaho law. In fact, Staff s approach ignores a national context
that is highly illuminating.
For example, the New York Times article
, "
When the Cellphone is the Home Phone
points out that among the reasons consumers cite for substituting is cost, i., that if consumers
are paying for both wireline and wireless service, they may find using the wireless phone
actually saves them money. Tr. 385. This observation is overlooked in Staffs discussion of
competitive pricing." Supporting the notion that wireless services present a viable substitute for
wireline phone is a Heritage Foundation Report which cites, their "price and functionality.Tr.
396. Similarly, INSIGHT Research Corporation published a report in January ofthis year
stating:
Wireless service has become the primary means of connectivity to the
network for many subscribers. In the U S, falling prices have prompted
some subscribers to use their mobile phones as their primary phones
especially when LD (long distance) services are bundled as part of the
package.
* * *
A recent USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll found that about 18 percent ofU S
users regard their cell phone as their primary phones. INSIGHT expects
the wireline/wireless replacement trend to continue.
Tr. 397.
This concept that the inclusion of long distance usage in wireless packages is stimulating
wireless substitution is supported by other industry research.27 Nonetheless Staff, without
conducting any such research of its own, attempts to persuade the Commission that this aspect of
wireless packaging is not significant because
, "
the average customer does not spend enough on
long distance to make up the difference.Tr. 643. Once again, Staff misses the point, as Taher
Bouzayen, an analyst with the communications strategy, consulting, and research firm Atlantic-
ACM, notes because wireless plans offer free nights and weekends, per-minute costs are
lowered, which drives wireless displacement of wire line services. Tr. 416.
See, e.g" Tr, 416 citing, International Data Corporation Study #29018 Wireless Displacement of Wireline
Access Lines Forecast and Analysis (October, 2002).
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This displacement could significantly impact wire line companies. The Yankee Group
anticipates mobile services will "severely cannibalize' wireline minutes of use (Tr. 160), while
pulver.com, a firm specializing in research on the Internet and Internet-protocol communications
produced a study estimating that up to 50% of residential lines may be subject to wireless
conversion by 2010. Tr.160.
The FCC has recognized that there is growing evidence of wireless
substitution and that wireless services represent competition for incumbent
local exchange service providers.
The FCC has been examining the increasing substitution of wireless for wireline service.
While noting studies that estimate that between 3% and 5% of wireless subscribers have
disconnected, the FCC has recognized there is "growing evidence that consumers are substituting
wireless service for traditional wireline communications. ,,28 In the same report the FCC noted
estimates that 20% of residential customers have replaced "some" wireline usage with wireless
while 11 % have replaced a "significant percentage.Tr. 160.
In addition, the FCC recently granted petitions filed by Qwest and SBC Communications
seeking relief under section 271 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to provide interLATA
services in New Mexico and Nevada, respectively. In both cases the incumbents relied on the
existence of wireless competition for its showing under the "Track A" requirement that it is
providing access and interconnection to its network to unaffiliated competing providers of
telephone exchange service. Tr. 191. In the New Mexico case, the FCC found that wireless
service "is a commercial alternative to Qwest customers" and noted that it "had recognized in
other contexts increased substitution between wireless mobile telephone and local telephone
service. ,,
The foregoing demonstrates that Staffs position that wireless is not being substituted for
wireline service can be taken only by ignoring substantial reported evidence of the phenomenon
as well as the FCC's pronouncements on this subject.
Tr, 159 citing, In the Matter of Implementation of Section 6002(b) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
Act of 1993; Annual Report and Analysis of Competitive Market Conditions With Respect to Commercial Mobile
Services (reI. July 3 2002), FCC 02-179, at 32 (ih CMRS Report).
29
Tr. 191-192 citing, In the Matter of Application by Qwest Communications International, Inc., for
Authorization to Provide In-Region, InterLATA Services in New Mexico, Oregon, and South Dakota WC Docket
No. 03-, Order, ~~ 18; 20; fn. 53, (reI. April 15, 2003).
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Granting Qwest's application is consistent with the public interest.
1. The public interest is served by implementing the Legislature s intent.
When the Idaho Legislature enacted the Telecommunications Act of 1988, it expressed
its intent to "encourage innovation within the industry by a balanced program of regulation and
competition.Idaho Code 62-602(1). That balance was achieved through the elimination of
price regulation for every service and every wireline use except "basic local exchange service
, "
two-way interactive switched voice communication within a local calling area.Idaho
Code
~~
62-603(1); 62-604-62-605. Thereafter, in 1997, the Legislative re-struck the balance
stating its intent that Idaho telecommunications become entirely price deregulated once effective
competition develops for basic local exchange service. The foregoing has demonstrated Qwest'
compliance with the effective competition standard set out in statute. In addition, this
Commission can take notice of its own efforts, and those of the FCC, in assuring that Qwest'
local exchange markets are fully open to competition through the 271 process.
As Mr. Shoo shan stated, it becomes imperative that price regulation be withdrawn to
encourage efficient competition and to establish a level regulatory playing field for all providers
as markets are opened to competition. Tr. 162. Failure to equalize the treatment of competing
firms once effective competition is present can have the effect of distorting the market and
denying consumers the full benefits of competition. Tr. 165. Unequal regulatory treatment can
also undermine incentives to invest in new infrastructure and deploy new services and
capabilities. Id. These negative impacts of maintaining rate regulation once effective
competition develops are contrary to the express intent of the Legislature to "encourage
innovation" within the industry. The public interest is not served by retaining price regulation
after competition has developed.
2. Staffs vublic interest concerns are not well-founded.
Staff raises a number of concerns under the guise of addressing the public interest that
when reviewed with the perspective of the statutory plan laid out by the Legislature, do not
withstand scrutiny.
The fact that Qwest could raise rates cannot be a basis for denial
of the application under the guise of the public interest.
Staff s most urgent concern appears to be that if Qwest were granted pricing freedom, it
could increase prices. Following Staffs logic, pricing freedom under section 62-622(3) can be
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granted only if the Commission finds that the incumbent can not raise rates. This interpretation
of the statute is hopelessly flawed on a number of grounds.
First, it imposes an impossible burden of proof on Qwest, which cannot prove where
prices will go in the future under competitive pressure. Qwest's witnesses have stated that the
competitive pressure from wireless carriers makes price increases problematic if Qwest does not
wish to lose substantial numbers of customers (Tr. 271.. 540), but Staff ignores these opinions in
favor of its unsupported claim that Qwest could raise prices, contrary to its self interest. Qwest
has attempted, through the testimony of Idaho President James Schmit, to provide assurance to
the Commission that it will not raise prices through year end 2004. Tr. 525. But Staffrejected
this effort. Tr. 734 ("18 months is an awfully short time frame
).
Thus, Staff argues, Qwest's
application must be denied because it is unable to definitely prove what the future will bring.
Staffs position is also illogical because it essentially leaves section 62-622(3) without
purpose or meaning. Had the Legislature intended that the only pricing freedom an incumbent
will be permitted is the freedom to lower prices, it would not have enacted section 62-622(3); it
would have simply rested on section 62-622(1), the so-called "maximum rates" section. In
enacting the section upon which Qwest relies in this case, the Legislature explicitly eliminated
rate regulation, which means that the Legislature was content to let the market control prices.
There is no reason to believe that the Legislature held the completely unsupported misconception
apparently embraced by Staff, that in competitive markets prices only go down.
Staffs position that the possibility of price increases trumps section 62-622(3) is even
more untenable when considered together with its argument that Qwest should have filed its
application under the "maximum rates" section. Idaho Code ~ 62-622(1). This section
according to Staff at least 30 provides the incumbent with all of the freedoms it needs to meet any
competitive threat except the ability to increase rates. Tr. 667. However, if Staff is right about
that, then the only purpose the Legislature could have intended in enacting section 62-622(3) was
to grant incumbents the ability to raise, as well as lower, rates. That being the Legislature
intent, it cannot be contrary to public policy for the Commission to implement it.
Qwest does not necessarily agree with Staff that the "maximum rate" statute, section 62-622( 1) provides
freedom from rate regulation. See, Tr. 89. Certainly this proposition has not been tested and has not been ruled on
by either the Commission or an Idaho court.
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Staff's concern that if its application is granted Qwest could raise
the rates in the remaining exchanges demonstrates Staff'
disagreement with the purposes of the statute and the transition to
competition.
Another of Staffs public policy concerns is that if Qwest's application is granted , Qwest
may file a rate case to raise rates in the exchanges that remain under Title 61 regulation. It is
ironic that Staff would seek to block the progress of competition in the seven exchanges because
of the possible operation of rate regulation in the remaining exchanges. Once again Staffs
position is at odds with the obvious intent of the Legislature in enacting section 62-622(3).
In enacting the statute that is the subject of this case, the Legislature demonstrated that
competition would not necessarily develop in all exchanges at an equal rate. Rather than delay
the benefits of a competitive market to those exchanges in which competition became effective
the Legislature drafted section 62-622(3) to permit an incumbent to seek pricing freedom on an
exchange basis. Since the statute was enacted in 1997 there is no reason to believe that the
Legislature did not understand that urban exchanges were more likely to experience effective
competition before rural exchanges. Nor is there reason to believe that the Legislature or anyone
else, would be surprised by the possibility that costs of provision of service could be higher in
rural exchanges.
Staffs concern is that if section 62-622(3) operates as it should to remove rate regulation
in exchanges with effective competition, and if rate regulation operates as it should to provide
rates that are just and reasonable based on the costs of provision in the remaining exchanges
rural customers may pay more than customers who reside in competitive markets. In this respect
Staffs quarrel is not with Qwest, it is with the Legislature and with the policy decision that
various forms of internal support or subsidy must be eliminated in favor of cost-based rates and
explicit support mechanisms. See, Idaho Code ~~ 62-61 OA-61 OF; 62-623. Indeed in discovery,
Staff admitted "the residence and small business customers of the more populous, urban regions
of the state currently subsidize and support the cost of basic local exchange service for Qwest'
residential and small business customers in the less populous, rural regions. Exhibit 48. Staff
further stated that until a high cost fund for companies like Qwest is implemented
, "
it is
By saying this Qwest does not intend to suggest that it will seek a rate change in the remaining exchanges.
The effort, expense and uncertainty of rate cases always make them a difficult choice. It is equally, if not more
plausible that Qwest will attempt to seek regulatory freedom for the remaining exchanges as the case for effective
competition develops.
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appropriate that such support remain in the rates.Id. Staffs position, therefore, amounts to a
claim that Qwest cannot receive price deregulation under section 62-622(3) (or, logically, under
section 62-622(1) for that matter) until the Commission provides explicit subsidy to Qwest's
rural rates. Again Staff seeks to impose requirements for the achievement of price deregulation
not contained in statute.
Moreover, this "public policy" concern of Staff is not a legitimate reason to deny Qwest'
application. Even if rate increases are ultimately ordered by the Commission, it does not follow
that such increases are contrary to public policy if not offset by subsidy since the Commission
has previously ordered rates for business and residence customers residing in rural exchanges
served by independent telephone corporations that are well in excess of the averaged rates now
paid by Qwest's customers. Qwest is not aware that such rates caused substantial hardship or
impacted universal service in those exchanges.
Staff's suggestion that granting Qwest s application could impede
the development of competition is patently absurd.
In a "last ditch" effort to come up with reasons why Qwest's application is contrary to the
public interest, Staff suggested that Qwest could prevent competition from ever developing.
Tr. 733. Naturally Staff did not elaborate as to how Qwest's price deregulation could drive out
wireless providers. In fact, any suggestion that Qwest could reduce prices to try to lure wireless
customers back to Qwest would not only appear to benefit the public interest, but it would be
contrary both to Staffs theory that wireless and wireline services are merely complements and to
the stubbornly held notion that all Qwest wants to do is raise rates.
Instead, Staff appeared to be focusing on the development of competition from
competitors who are not wireless providers. Tr. 742. In doing so Staff even went so far as to
suggest that the Commission s findings that Qwest's market was fully open to competition in the
271 process was "a past tense Id. This statement says more about the zeal of the Staff to
oppose Qwest's application than about the state of the market. Mr. Hart conceded that he did not
know how deregulation of retail prices might affect competitors purchasing UNEs (Id.)
whether or not retail price increases might create price competition. Id. More significantly,
perhaps, Staff did not recognize that Qwest's Performance Assurance Plan (QP AP) was
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specifically adopted by the Commission to prevent backsliding from the open-market status that
justified the FCC's grant of inter LATA relief to Qwest for Idaho.
3. Granting Qwest's application is consistent with the public interest.
In addition to demonstrating its compliance with the statutory requirements for price
deregulation, Qwest has also made a number of commitments that will affirmatively enhance the
public interest if the application is granted. First Qwest has confirmed that it will continue meet
its responsibilities as an ETC for purposes of providing universal service (Tr. 524), and will
continue to make Idaho Telephone Service Assistance available to low-income customers. Tr.
525.
In response to concerns expressed by Staff and others, Qwest will commit to continue to
provide both local measured and flat-rated residence and business service on a standalone basis
unless otherwise authorized by the Commission. Id. In addition, Qwest will increase the block
of time included in the monthly price of measured residence service from three to four hours. Tr.
526. To address Staffs concern that Qwest is merely preparing to raise rates, Qwest has
committed that it will cap basic local exchange business and residence recurring rates through
the end of2004. Tr. 525. Qwest believes these commitments demonstrate its desire to continue
to meet the needs of all of its customers after price deregulation is granted. Tr. 527.
In the Burley case Mr. Cusick testified that an applicant for price deregulation should be
specific regarding any advanced services that customers should expect to receive if the
application is granted.33 In response to this particular part of Staff s "roadmap" for future
deregulation cases, in this case Qwest also committed to deploy Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
services to a minimum of 10 additional communities in Idaho during the three years following
approval of the application. Tr. 529. Qwest believes that DSL would be a valuable enhancement
to many Idaho customers who do not presently have access to it and will, therefor, offer a
tangible benefit customers outside the seven exchanges.
In the Matter of US West Communications, Inc, Motion for an Alternative Procedure to Manage its
Section 271 Application Case No. USW -00-, Commission Final Decision on Qwest Corporation s Compliance
with Section 271 , at 3-4 (June 10 2003).33 Case No. USW-99-, Cusick DI, p. 17.
QWEST CORPORATION'S OPENING POST-HEARING BRIEF - Page 37
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IV.CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, Qwest requests that the Commission grant its application
under section 62-622(3) and cease rate regulation in the seven exchanges of Boise, Caldwell
Nampa, Meridian, Twin Falls, Pocatello and Idaho Falls.
Respectfully submitted this 27th day of June, 2003.
Qwest Corporation
Ik~
Mary S obson
Stoel . ves LLP
Adam L. Sherr
Qwest Corporation
Attorneys for Qwest Corporation
QWEST CORPORATION'S OPENING POST-HEARING BRIEF - Page 38
Boise-15&8n10029164-00087
Susan Travis
WorldCom, Inc.
707 1 ih Street - Suite 4200
Denver, CO 80202
Telephone: [phone]
Susan.a. Travis~worldcom.com
Conley E. Ward, Jr.
Givens Pursley LLP
277 North 6th Street - Suite 200
O. Box 2720
Boise, ill 83701-2720
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
cew~givenspursley.com
Attorneys for Idaho Telephone Association
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Brandi L. Gearhart, PLS
Legal Secretary to Mary S. Hobson
Stoel Rives LLP
QWEST CORPORATION'S OPENING POST-HEARING BRIEF - Page 41
Boise-158813.1 0029164-00087