20060126order_no_29964.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
January 26, 2006
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE INVESTIGATION
OF RURAL TELEPHONE COMPANY'
COMPLIANCE WITH COMMISSION RULES CASE NO. RUR-O6-
ORDER NO. 29964
On December 13 , 2005, a formal complaint was filed with the Commission by
Merlin and Judith Lords regarding the telephone service provided them by Rural Telephone
Company. On several occasions beginning in November and December 2005 , Rural
Telephone s customers in Atlanta, Idaho were without service. The Lords and other customers
complained to the Company, and as a result, the Company on December 15 2005 sent a letter to
customers apologizing for the inconvenience caused by service outages. The Company also
explained that heavy snowfall in the Atlanta area caused the outages and delayed repairs by the
Company. The Company also waived its monthly service charge for customers for January
2006.
Despite the Company s response in its December 15 letter, the Lords and other
customers have complained to the Commission, alleging that Rural Telephone is not
compliance with the Commission s Telephone Customer Relations Rules. Accordingly, and
response to the issues in the complaints, the Commission has determined to open an investigation
to review service and customer relations issues relating to its Atlanta customers during
December 2005 and January 2006.
respond to the following questions:
Specifically, the Commission directs the Company to
1. Pursuant to the Commission s Telephone Customer Relations Rules 501-
503 , are customers entitled to a refund of their monthly service charges
for December 2005?
2. Did the Company adequately respond to the reports of service outage by
customers?
3. What steps, if any, should the Company take to mitigate the possibility of
outages caused by winter snowfalls?
4. Does the Company experience network congestion, and if so, what
remedies are available?
ORDER NO. 29964
5. Are the Company s directories in compliance with the Commission
Rules?
6. How does the Company ensure it properly identifies customers as
residential or business in compliance with the terms of its tariff?
The Company is directed to respond to these and other related questions presented to
it by the Commission Staff as part of this investigation.
ORDER
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that an investigation into the quality of Rural
Telephone Company s service in its Atlanta area during December 2005 and January 2006 be
initiated according to the terms ofthe text ofthis Order. The Company is directed to reply to the
questions set forth in this Order as well as other questions presented to it by the Commission
Staff.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this .;J..~ +1..
day of January 2006.
ri?/; f~
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PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT
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LJ~
MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
DENNIS S. H NSEN, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
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Je D. Jewell
Commission Secretary
bls/O:RUR-06-0l ws
ORDER NO. 29964