20030320Herrick Direct.pdf

John Gannon, State BarNo. 1975
Attorney At Law
1101 West River, Suite 110
Boise ID 83702
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Attorneys Representing Intervenors Meierotto, et al
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UTlllllLS COhi'iiSSION
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
OF QWEST CORPORATION FOR PRICE
DEREGULATION OF BASIC LOCAL
EXCHANGE SERVICES
DIRECT TESTIMONY OF
Sharon Herrick
on behalf of
Intervenors Meierotto, et al
March 18, 2003
CASE NO. QWE-02-
BACKGROUND
Q. Please state your name, address and describe your background.
A. My name is Sharon Herrick, 11330 Hanks Street, Boise, Idaho. I have worked in
various legal related jobs, usually dealing with the United States Bankruptcy Court and debtor
and creditor clients. I am employed by Neal and Uhl in Boise. I am married and we have five
children, all adults, and two of them and one daughter in law are presently living in our home
ll. HOME COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS
Q. Please describe your telephone communication system at home.
A. We have a land line with two extension phones and one cell phone. The internet
is operated by Cable One. We don t have extra features on our land line, except for a repair
feature so the base cost is around $30 per month. We make a lot oflong distance calls so
there is usually an additional $20-$30 charge.
Q. Why do you have land line?
A. Our house is large and with our remodeling it will be 3000 square feet. With 5
adults and this size of a home I absolutely have to have a land line with extension phones.
Q. Could you use a cell phone to replace the land line system at your home?
A. Oh no. As I say, I do have a cell phone, but it can t have extension phones and
I can just imagine where it would be if it was the only phone in the house. Someone would
take it with them, or someone would leave it in a room where we can t hear the phone. If we
had more than one cell phone, the second one would cost more. And which number would
be listed in the phone book or would we have to list both numbers? Cell phone replacement
for our land line is simply impractical and there is the expense.
QWE- T -02-
March 18, 2003
HERRICK D .
INT.MEIER
Q. What expense are you concerned about?
A. Well, with 5 people in the home, plus visitors, our phone gets a lot of usage.
Everyone uses the land line for calls at our home and I am glad they do because I am sure that
we would go over even a generous usage limit for cell calls.
Q. Qwest is asking that the Public Utilities deregulate land line rates for
residential use. Do you think this is in the public interest?
A. No because I, and I know others, have had occasional difficulty with a Qwest
billing. About 2 years ago my phone was improperly disconnected and reconnected and I had
a very difficult time getting the matter resolved, because I think I was billed twice in one
month. It was difficult to get through to customer service and the issue was never resolved
to my satisfaction.
Further, there is no land line competition that I know of, and I checked around a year
or so ago. For most families, the land line is the only real choice because of the reasons I
mentioned. Confusion would result in any family if there was just a cell phone. I raised
teenagers, and I know that ifthere was one cell phone the phone would continually disappear.
I know where my land line is.
, I think there is no question that our family and many other families have no
choice and the price of my land line would just increase and if! didn t like it, or I dispute
something about the bill, its just too bad for me.
Q. You said you have a cell phone. Why is that?
A. We use the cell phone when primarily my husband or I am out of the home, and
especially traveling. It gives us some security. We have the minimum AT& T plan.
Q. In connection with your bills have you noticed a difference in the taxes and
fees charged?
QWE-02-
March 18, 2003
HERRICK D . 2
INT.MEIER- 2 -
A. I watch all of my bills carefully and yes, I have noticed a difference. My residence
bill has about $8.50 in taxes and fees but the cell bill has only around $1.50.
Q. What do you think about this?
A. Well, Qwest is saying that cell phones are competing for land line business. I think
that those who cause the taxes and fees to be charged should make those charges equal so
that prices are fair. The land line charge should be lower and the cell phone charges higher
so that they both are equal in the middle. These charges are unfairly influencing the difference
III prIce.
Q. What are your recommendations to the Commission regarding Qwest'
application?
There isnA. First I think local telephone rates should not be deregulated.
competition for land lines, and families need them.
I think that Qwest should be assisted in making land line service more competitive
by resolving the inequity in taxes and fees assessed. One third of the residential line charge
is taxes and fees!
Third, I am aware that Mr.Neal thinks there should be some easy, informal
independent arbitration procedure for bill disputes that is binding on both parties. This is
good and would help improve customer satisfaction with Qwest. I think Qwest needs to
work with its customers more and its market share would improve.
Q. Is there anything else you would like to add?
A. I would just like to thank the commission for listening to my views.
QWE- T -02-
March 18, 2003
HERRICKD.
INT.MEIER- 3 -