HomeMy WebLinkAbout07122001.docDECISION MEMORANDUM
TO: COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER HANSEN
JEAN JEWELL
RON LAW
BILL EASTLAKE
LOU ANN WESTERFIELD
TONYA CLARK
DON HOWELL
RANDY LOBB
TERRI CARLOCK
BEV BARKER
GENE FADNESS
WORKING FILE
FROM: JOHN R. HAMMOND
DATE: JULY 12, 2001
RE: IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF VERIZON NORTHWEST INCORPORATED FOR WAIVER OF COMMISSION RULES REGARDING PARTIAL PAYMENT APPLICATION. CASE NO. VZN-T-01-8.
BACKGROUND
On June 21, 2001, Verizon Northwest, Inc. filed its Petition, pursuant to Commission Rule of Procedure 53. Verizon petitions the Commission for a waiver from its Telephone Customer Relations Rules 306.06 and 312.03 regarding the allocation of retail customers’ partial payments.
Verizon contends that its billing system does not have the capability to accommodate customer requests to manually dictate partial payment allocations and thus does not strictly comply with Rule 312.03. In order to upgrade its billing system so that it complies with Rules 306.06 and 312.03 Verizon contends that it would have to expend approximately $51 million, which would cause the Company to suffer a substantial financial hardship. The Company also believes a waiver of these rules would not cause controversy amongst its customers as it is aware of only two complaints filed to date mentioning the limitations of its billing system. Accordingly, Verizon requests that the Commission grant its Petition for a waiver of these rules for a period of two years. Verizon states that this waiver will allow it to continue allocating customers’ partial payments in the manner dictated by the current capabilities of its billing system. At the end of this two-year period, Verizon proposes to provide the Commission with a status report on the ability of its billing system to comply strictly with the requirements of Rules 312.03 and 306.06.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Commission process this Application by Modified Procedure under the Commission’s Rules and establish a twenty-one (21) day written comment period for interested parties followed by a period of seven (7) days within which Verizon can file written reply comments.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to process Verizon’s Petition by the use of Modified Procedure under the Commission’s Rules? If so, does the Commission wish to establish deadlines for the filing of written comments and written reply comments?
John R. Hammond
Staff: Beverly Barker
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DECISION MEMORANDUM 2