961018.docx

DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:COMMISSIONER NELSON
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER HANSEN
MYRNA WALTERS
TONYA CLARK
DON HOWELL
STEPHANIE MILLER
DAVE SCHUNKE
JOE CUSICK
GARY RICHARDSON
WORKING FILE
FROM:WELDON STUTZMAN
DATE:OCTOBER 18, 1996
RE:REQUESTS FROM PRESTON AND MONTPELIER TELEPHONE EXCHANGE CUSTOMERS FOR INCLUSION IN A SOUTHEAST IDAHO EAS REGION
Recently the Commission received numerous letters and petitions from residents of the Preston and Montpelier telephone exchanges requesting inclusion in an EAS region for southeast Idaho.  In response to the requests, the Commission asked U S WEST to provide informa­tion of calling data between those exchanges and other southeast Idaho communities, primarily Idaho Falls and Pocatello.  The calling data was provided by U S WEST, along with a cover letter.
The calling data reflects relatively low calling volume between these exchanges and the selected southeast Idaho cities.  U S WEST stated in its cover letter its “initial impression is that a genuine community of interest does not exist today between these communities” in light of the “relatively low calling volumes from Preston and Montpelier to the ‘hub’ communities.”
Calling volumes is but one factor in the consideration of the existence of a community of interest and the appropriateness of EAS.  The Commission could initiate an investigation into whether EAS should be granted for the Preston and Montpelier telephone exchanges and provide proponents an opportunity to demonstrate that a genuine community of interest exists between their exchanges and other southeast Idaho exchanges.
Commission Decision
Should the Commission assign a docket number and initiate an investigation into whether EAS should be granted for the Preston and Montpelier telephone exchanges?
Weldon Stutzman
vld/M:EAS.ws2