20070911Report.pdf

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Eugene M. tog
Vice President
LegislBIi...e and Regulatory Affairs
20575 NW Von Neumann Drive
Suite I SO
HiBsboro, Oregon 97006
September 10, 2007 Phone [phone]
Fax S03-6:z9..0S92
VIAFAX&DHL
Ms. Jean D. Jewell
Commission Secretary
Idaho Pub)jc Utilities Commission
472 West Washington Street
Boise, 10 33720-0074
Re:Ca5e No. VZN-O7-
Dear Ms. Jewell:
Enclosed for filing is an original and seven (7) copies ofVerizon Northwest Inc.'s ('"Veri20n
Report as required by Order No. 30408, Notice of Investigation ("Notice ), issued by the Idaho
Public Utilities Commission eCornmission ) on August 13, 2007.
With regard to issue number 5 set forth in the Notice, please note that Verizon is currently
examining potential long-tenDs plans for the Orofino area. Therefore, Ver:izon respectfully
requests a one-week extension on that particular issue before reporting back to the Commission.
If you have any questions, please CODtact me at 503-629-2741.
Sincerely,
Enclosure
Eugene M. Eng
VERIZON NORTHWEST me.
20575 NW Von Neumann Drive
Suite 150
Hillsboro, Oregon 97006
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: eu ene.(g)verizon.com
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BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE INVESTIGATION)
REGARDING THE DISRUPTION OF
VERIZON NORTHWEST INC.S LOCALEXCHANGE SERVICE
CASE NO. VZN-07-
REPORT OF VERIZON
NORTHWEST INC.
Pursuant to the Order No. 30408, Notice of Investigation ("Notice ), issued by the Idaho
Public Utilities Commission ("Commission ) on August 13 , 2007, Verizon Northwest Inc.
Verizon ) provides the following report responding to issues set out in the Notice.
1) Explain the cause or causes of the local exchange outages on June 12-, 2007.
There were no local exchange outages in the 4 exchanges (Orofino, Peck, Weippe, and
Pierce) specified in the Notice.There was , however, a degradation of service on part of the
microwave radio path that feeds these four communities that affected interexchange calls to and
from these four exchanges. A component failure that was difficult to isolate caused one half of
the service capacity to be interrupted for several hours on three different days: June 12
(approximately four hours); June 13 (approximately five hours); and June 14 (approximately
seven hours).
2) Describe the telecommunications network of the four exchanges (Orofino, Peck
Pierce & Weippe) and how these exchanges are connected to Verizon s northern
Idaho network.
In the Moscow exchange, there are two Alcatel MDR8000 digital microwave radios, each
with a capacity of three DS3s. The radio paths from these microwave radios originate at
Paradise Ridge and terminate at Teaken Butte. At Teaken Butte, there are two Alcatel
MDR8000 digital microwave radios, each with a capacity of three DS3s. The radio paths
from these microwave radios terminate in Orofino. Peck is connected to Orofino via a
copper cable. At Teaken Butte, there also is an Alcatel MDR 11 digital microwave radio
with the capacity of one DS3. The radio path from that microwave radio terminates in
Pierce. Weippe is connected to Pierce via a copper cable.
The Orofino central office houses a Nortel DMS 10 base switch.Peck, Pierce and
Weippe are remote switches off of the Orofino base switch.
The Moscow exchange is connected to a tandem office in Coeur d' Alene and various
other exchanges via fiber optic cables and digital microwave radios.
3) Address the extent of the disruption of service.
At around noon on June 12, 2007, one of the two microwave radios between Teaken
Butte and Orofino experienced a service degradation for approximately four hours.
Verizon technicians were able to eliminate any degradation by changing electronic
components in the microwave radio. The service degradation affected one half of the
capacity of the radio paths (three of the six DS3s) from Teaken Butte to Orofino. The
host / remote links between the Orofino base switch and the remote switches at Pierce
and Weippe were out of service causing Pierce and Weippe to be isolated, such that all
calls during the four hours to Pierce and Weippe from other exchanges and from Pierce
and Weippe to other exchanges could not be completed. Local calls within each of the
four exchanges were unaffected by the service degradation, as were calls between
Orofino and Peck.
At around 12:30 p.m. on June 13, the same radio began experiencing trouble again. This
time service degradation of the same type described above lasted for approximately five
hours.Verizon dispatched additional forces from Northern Idaho and Eastern
Washington to Orofino and Teaken Butte to investigate the problem. More electronic
components were changed in Orofino and in Teaken Butte, and the service degradation
was eliminated. Verizon monitored this radio path throughout the night, and there were
no errors or service interruptions.
At around 12:30 p.m. on June 14, the same radio again began experiencing trouble of the
same type described above, this time for approximately seven hours. Verizon dispatched
technical forces at both ends of the radio path and had A1catel On-Line Support available
via telephone conference. Verizon and A1catel On-Line Support worked on trouble-
shooting potential problems with the radio in an attempt to isolate any intermittent
problem that could have caused this multiple day service degradation. As set forth in
more detail in (4) below, Verizon and A1catel were able to isolate and solve a number of
problems.
4) Address the proposed immediate solutions to the problem.
Verizon has undertaken various efforts with regard to the ffilcrowave equipment
discussed above, including maintenance, performance of diagnostics, recalibration of the radios
trouble-shooting, and the changing of many component parts.As a result, the problems
discussed above were solved and the systems have been running error code free since June 14
2007. Nonetheless, Verizon is working closely with the vendor, Alcatel, to change a number of
component parts in an attempt to avoid duplication of the problems described above. Verizon
placed orders with Alcatel for these components, and the estimated ship date for these
components is September 28, 2007.Upon receipt of all of the components, Verizon will
schedule maintenance activity at night (during our "safetime" window) to complete the activity
of replacing these parts.
5) Address the Company s long-term plans for addressing the capacity of the
microwave system serving the Orofino area.
Verizon is currently examining potential long-term plans with regard to capacity in the
Orofino area and will report back to the Commission at a later date.
6) Address whether the Company met the restoration of service standards contained
in Telephone Customer Relations Rule 503.If not, were there extenuating
circumstances, and whether customers might be due a credit for any outage.
To the best of Verizon s knowledge, no Idaho statute or rule was violated with regard to
the issues addressed in this report.
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY that on the lOIh day of September, 2007, served the foregoing
VERIZON NORTHWEST INC.'S REPORT upon the following parties as indicated below:
Ms. Jean Jewell
Commission Secretary
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472 West Washington Street
Boise, ill 83720-0074
---X Overnight mail
- U.S. Mail, postage pre-paid
Facsimile
Elec1romc Mail
Mr. Paul Kjellander
President
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472 West Washington Street
Boise, ID 83720-0074
....x Overnight mail
- U.S. Mail, postage pre-paid
Facsimile
Electronic Mail
Ms. Marsha H. Smith
Commissioner
Idaho Public UtiHtjes Commission
472 West Washington Street
Boise, ID 83720-0074
-.X Overnight mail
U. S. Mail, postage pre-paid
Facsimile
Electronic Mail
Mr. Mack A. Redford
Commissioner
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472 West Washington Sn-eet
Boise, ID 83720-0074
-X Ovemight mail
- U.S. Mail, postage pre-paid
Facsimile
Electronic Mail