20070813notice_of_investigation_order_no_30408.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
August 13, 2007
BEFORE THE ID ADO PUBLIC UTILITIES CO MMISSI ON
IN THE MATTER OF THE INVESTIGATION
REGARDING THE DISRUPTION OF
VERIZON NORTHWEST INc.'S LOCAL EXCHANGE SERVICE
CASE NO. VZN-07-
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
ORDER NO. 30408
On June 27, 2007, Clearwater Valley Hospital and Clinics in Orofino filed a "formal"
complaint against Verizon Northwest Inc. The hospital alleged that its phone service from
Verizon was "either intermittent or non-existent from June 12-2007." Verizon provides local
exchange, intraLATA long-distance services, and other telecommunications services in 34
exchanges in northern Idaho. Verizon serves more than 118 000 wireline customers in northern
Idaho.
ospi comp d that when one servIce was In errup , I was
unable to perform several essential functions including: Calling for air ambulance transport for a
critically ill patient; calling the hospital in Lewiston to arrange for a patient transport; sending
radiology images out for imaging evaluation and reading; and providing electronic medical
record information to physicians.The hospital explained that it had to rely on a backup
communications system. This backup radio system routes calls through Boise and then to
Lewiston.
The Staff explained that Verizon' s radio system that connects the Orofino exchange
to other exchanges in northern Idaho started to experience problems on or about June 14, 2007.
The outage may have also affected customers in the Peck, Pierce and Weippe exchanges. We
further understand that Verizon s microwave system that serves the Orofino area is at capacity.
BACKGROUND
Since 1993 , Verizon s predecessor (GTE Northwest) has offered its northern Idaho
customers a choice of four local calling plans (LCPs). The LCPs converted long-distance (toll)
routes of 23 or fewer miles to local calls. Order No. 26330 at 1. In essence, the LCPs enabled
customers "to utilize toll-free extended area service calling options to (call) certain nearby
communities." Application at 1 (Case No. GTE- T -95-3).
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
ORDER NO. 30408
In 1996 the LCP program was expanded to the exchanges of Orofino, Peck, Pierce
and Weippe. Customers in these four exchanges were offered three LCP options called Basic
Calling, Community Calling, and Community Plus Calling. 1 With basic service, a customer pays
a relatively small monthly flat-rate amount, and all calling within the home exchange and to the
other three exchanges is billed at rates based on distance and duration of the call (i., measured
service). With the Community and Community Plus options, there is unlimited calling for a flat
fee that increases as the customer s toll-free calling area increases. Order No. 26330 at 1.
DISCUSSION
The Commission s regulatory authority over Verizon is limited. The Idaho
Telecommunications Act allows a telephone corporation to elect to remove some or all of its
services from the Commission s price regulation authority found in Title 61. Idaho Code ~ 62-
605. In July 2005 , Verizon filed a "Notice of Election" stating that it elected to remove all of its
telecommunications services from the Commission s price regulation.V erizon' s election
became effective on August 8, 2005. Notice of Election in Case No. VZN-05-04.
Although Verizon is no longer subj ect to the Commission s traditional rate regulation
found in Title 61, the Commission does retain authority under Title 62 to determine non-
economic regulatory requirements relating to basic local exchange service "including, but not
limited to, such matters as service quality standards, provisions of access to carriers providing
(long-distance) service, filing of price lists, customer notice in customer relation rules and billing
practices and procedures. . .Idaho Code ~ 62-605(5)(b). The Commission also retains
authority to resolve customer complaints regarding the quality and availability of local exchange
service under Title 62. Idaho Code ~ 62-616.
Pursuant to our authority and on our own motion, the Commission initiates this
investigation into V erizon' s provision of local exchange service to the exchanges of Orofino
Peck, Pierce and Weippe. More specifically, we direct Verizon to file a report within 28 days of
the service date of this Order explaining the cause or causes of the local exchange outages on
June 12-, 2007. The report should describe the telecommunications network of the four
exchanges and how these exchanges are connected to Verizon s northern Idaho network. This
report should also address the extent of the disruption of service, the proposed immediate
I The fourth LCP, Premium service, was not available to these four exchanges.
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
ORDER NO. 30408
solutions to the problem, and the Company s long-term plans for addressing the capacity of the
microwave system serving the Orofino area. Finally, Verizon should 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. IDAPA 31.41.01.503.01 and .02.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Verizon Northwest Inc. file a report within 28 days
of the service date of this Order responding to the issues set out above.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this /3f4'-
day of August 2007.
~ (1
ARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
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MACK A. REDFO , CO ; ISSIONER
ATTEST:
blsNZN-07-
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
ORDER NO. 30408