Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout216PUCTX.docx 1 MOUNTAIN HOME, IDAHO, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1999, 7:00 P.M. 2 3 4 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Good evening. This is 5 the time and place set for the public hearing of the Idaho 6 Public Utilities Commission in Case Nos. GNR-T-97-9 and 7 GNR-T-98-18, further identified as the matter of the 8 petition of customers of Rural Telephone Company to join 9 the Treasure Valley extended service calling area, and the 10 petition of customers of the Rural Telephone Company Boise 11 River Exchange to join the U S WEST Mountain Home Exchange 12 and/or the Treasure Valley extended service calling area. 13 My name is Marsha Smith. I'm one of the 14 three Commissioners. I'll be Chairing tonight's hearing. 15 On my right is Commissioner Dennis Hansen, who is 16 also president of the Commission. And on my left is 17 Paul Kjellander. This is his second day on the job, so 18 please be kind to Commissioner Kjellander. 19 Our process tonight is, I will call the names 20 of those of you who have signed up to testify. And you 21 will come forward, and Commissioner Hansen will ask you to 22 raise your right hand and promise us that you're going to 23 tell us the truth. I think then you will be wired up with 24 a mic so everyone can hear and understand you, and you'll 25 be asked to give your name and your mailing address. And 1 CSB REPORTING COLLOQUY Wilder, Idaho 83676 1 then you'll be allowed to give your statement. So it's a 2 pretty simple procedure. We sure appreciate your turnout 3 tonight, because it's an important part of our deliberation 4 as to how the customers feel about the changes that are 5 being proposed. 6 First, tonight, I have Bill Davison from 7 Prairie. While he's getting wired up, I have neglected to 8 introduce some of the very important players here, and that 9 is the Company and Staff. Ms. Copsey, would you like to 10 introduce yourself for the record, please. 11 MS. COPSEY: My name is Cheri Copsey. I'm 12 the attorney for the Public Utilities Commission Staff. 13 And in just a few minutes we're going to have Staff read a 14 statement that will discuss the EAS and kind of lay out 15 what the Staff's recommendation has been about the EAS. 16 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Mr. Ward. 17 MR. WARD: My name is Conley Ward. I'm an 18 attorney in Boise with the firm of Givens, Pursley. On my 19 right, most of you know Jim Martell, who is the president 20 of Rural Telephone. 21 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Ms. Hobson. 22 MS. HOBSON: My name is Mary Hobson. I'm 23 from the Boise law firm of Stole, Rives. And I represent 24 U S WEST Communications. You have met my colleague 25 John Souba, who has been trying to answer your questions. 2 CSB REPORTING COLLOQUY Wilder, Idaho 83676 1 We will be available at any break to try and continue to do 2 that for you. Thank you. 3 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Well, since we have 4 Mr. Davison ready to go, I think we will let him make his 5 statement. And then if we need to back up and take a Staff 6 statement, we can. 7 8 BILL DAVISON, 9 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 10 sworn, testified as follows: 11 12 EXAMINATION 13 14 BY MS. COPSEY: 15 Q Mr. Davison, could you please state your name 16 for the record and spell it for us and then give us your 17 address? 18 A My name is Bill Davison, B-i-l-l, 19 D-a-v-i-s-o-n, Prairie, Idaho. 20 Q Go ahead and give your full address, please. 21 A It's HC84, Box 54, Mountain Home, Idaho, 22 83647. 23 Q You can go ahead and make your statement. 24 A I'm a rancher at Prairie, Idaho, and we have 25 a family ranch there with about five or six families living 3 CSB REPORTING DAVISON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 there. We have a business in Caldwell and a ranch in Sand 2 Hollow. Ninety percent of our phone calls are long 3 distance to businesses back and forth. We have quite a 4 large monthly long-distance phone bill. We don't want to 5 pay more every month than what it's costing us now, but if 6 we can get a cheaper rate and not have long distance and 7 something that Rural Telephone can afford to do, we would 8 like to have that. 9 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Any questions for 10 Mr. Davison? 11 12 EXAMINATION 13 14 BY MS. COPSEY: 15 Q Can you give us an idea of what your monthly 16 telephone bill has been; just an idea? 17 A It runs -- I think my sister pays the bill, 18 but, for the whole family, about $1,000 to -- well, between 19 $800 and $1,200 a month for the long distance -- or total 20 phone bill. 21 MS. COPSEY: No other questions. 22 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Do you have questions, 23 Mr. Ward or Ms. Hobson? 24 25 4 CSB REPORTING DAVISON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 EXAMINATION 2 3 BY MR. WARD: 4 Q Mr. Davison, just one question. I know where 5 Sand Hollow is, but there may be people here that don't. 6 Would you explain where that other ranch is? 7 A It's 15 miles west of Caldwell. 8 MR. WARD: Thank you. 9 10 EXAMINATION 11 12 BY MS. HOBSON: 13 Q Mr. Davison, are you interested in having EAS 14 just to Mountain Home, or is your interest in the entire 15 Boise region? 16 A In the Boise region. 17 MS. HOBSON: Thank you. 18 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Are there questions from 19 the Commissioners? 20 COMMISSIONER HANSEN: I have none. 21 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Commissioner Kjellander. 22 23 24 25 5 CSB REPORTING DAVISON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 EXAMINATION 2 3 BY COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER: 4 Q Mr. Davison, just from a quick overview 5 perspective, you mentioned that your phone bill today is 6 presently pretty high. How much would you be willing to 7 pay if EAS was available into the Treasure Valley area? 8 A You mean above our regular hookup fee and 9 that -- a monthly deal? I don't know. Whatever is 10 customary or whatever it would take, but I couldn't answer 11 how much. 12 COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER: Thank you. 13 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Commissioner Hansen. 14 15 EXAMINATION 16 17 BY COMMISSIONER HANSEN: 18 Q Mr. Davison, just to kind of get an idea, 19 would you be willing to pay $15 more a month? 20 A That would make our phone bill a lot 21 cheaper. I know that. 22 Q $20? 23 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you very much for 24 your testimony. 25 THE WITNESS: Thank you. And there's quite a 6 CSB REPORTING DAVISON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 group of Prairie people here that have pretty much the same 2 situation that we have. All of our businesses, every 3 implement place we need to call is long distance from 4 Prairie. Thank you. 5 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you. 6 Next, I have John Malota. 7 8 JOHN MALOTA, 9 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 10 sworn, testified as follows: 11 12 EXAMINATION 13 14 BY MS. COPSEY: 15 Q Mr. Malota, could you please state your name, 16 spell it for the record and then give us your address? 17 A My name is John, J-o-h-n, Malota, 18 M-a-l-o-t-a. I live at 4 Ditto Creek. My address is under 19 Mountain Home. It is the Tipanuk subdivision area. 20 Q Is that the mailing address: D-i-t-t-o? 21 A Yes, Creek. 22 Q Do you have a Zip Code for that? 23 A 83647. 24 Q You can go ahead and give your testimony. 25 A I thought they were going to ask questions? 7 CSB REPORTING MALOTA Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 Q Go ahead. 2 COMMISSIONER SMITH: This is your time to 3 make your statement. 4 THE WITNESS: Okay. I misunderstood you, I'm 5 sorry. Well, most people are kind of interested in this. 6 You know, I don't understand why we can't get even to 7 Mountain Home on a local-call rate. Boise, well, that 8 would help, but mainly it seems to be in the Boise area. 9 I have had a couple problems. I know other 10 people have. I don't know if it's the correct area to 11 bring this up, but I know a lot of people like to have 12 their computers and have them tapped into the lines. In 13 fact, we have one teacher out there that can't even run her 14 computer, because, you know, it's not compatible with the 15 line. 16 But years ago when this came in I had two 17 ways to go. I'm ain't saying all areas are that way, but 18 there is other phone lines within a half mile of my place 19 that can be tapped into that should go back to the regular 20 phone system. I'm not saying all the areas are that way, 21 but to my knowledge that's the way it has been run. And, 22 you know, that's why I don't understand why it's so hard to 23 get the local phone service. 24 And, you know, on this 911 I still don't 25 understand why we're being billed for it and we don't have 8 CSB REPORTING MALOTA Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 it, you know. Because, just for kicks, I tried it today, 2 and there's no way you can get through. So, you know, 3 maybe it's the wrong place again, but they're just 4 questions we want to kind of get answered. That's about 5 all I have. 6 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Let's see if there are 7 questions for you. 8 Ms. Copsey. 9 MS. COPSEY: No questions. 10 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Mr. Ward. 11 MR. WARD: No questions. Thank you. 12 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Ms. Hobson. 13 14 EXAMINATION 15 16 BY MS. HOBSON: 17 Q Mr. Malota, I guess I'm not clear on what you 18 are really looking for in the way of a calling area. Is it 19 just Mountain Home, or do you want to be able to call Boise 20 and the other cities in the Boise region? 21 A I'm kind of flexible on that. I'm not -- 22 Mountain Home would be a great help, but, you know, if 23 Boise happened to come along, that would even be better. 24 I'm flexible. A lot of people say to me, "God, you live 25 out there? You're in between. Why is it long distance 9 CSB REPORTING MALOTA Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 both ways?" Because I have people come in off the 2 Interstate and want to use our phone. They have never 3 heard of that. That's why I ask. It would help but -- 4 Mountain Home would help, and Boise would be a feather in 5 the hat, I guess, so to speak. 6 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you. Are there 7 questions from the Commissioners? 8 COMMISSIONER HANSEN: I have none. 9 MS. COPSEY: Could I just ask one? 10 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Ms. Copsey. 11 12 EXAMINATION 13 14 BY MS. COPSEY: 15 Q I'm a little unclear. How much would you be 16 willing to pay in addition to your regular phone service in 17 order to have toll-free calling? 18 A Is that above what we have now? 19 Q Yes. 20 A Our total bill right now would be $8 above 21 that -- or whatever -- more? 22 Q For whatever your basic local service is plus 23 the addition for EAS, what would you be willing to pay? 24 A Well, see, our basic service right now is 25 about $15, if memory serves me right. Then, above that, 10 CSB REPORTING MALOTA Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 you know -- I don't know what the going rate is myself, but 2 I've never, you know, been in a position to really talk to 3 other people on the phone service. Ours is through MCI, 4 and generally that is at 9 cents a minute. And I don't 5 remember what it was on this one here, you know. If you 6 take $15 plus whatever -- and our phone calls are all going 7 to be local; right? Is that what you're saying? 8 Q Yes. 9 A It would be $15 plus whatever it would take 10 to hook in for the whole area. 11 Q How much would you be willing to pay in 12 addition to the $15? 13 A That would be all toll free, though? 14 Q Just to either Mountain Home or to the Boise 15 region, that's correct. 16 A I think probably -- at least for me even $50 17 would be a lot cheaper than what I'm doing right now, 18 because I'm getting up to $180 a month or better. 19 MS. COPSEY: Thank you. 20 COMMISSIONER SMITH: I just had one 21 question. 22 23 24 25 11 CSB REPORTING MALOTA Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 EXAMINATION 2 3 BY COMMISSIONER SMITH: 4 Q How long have you lived in Tipanuk? 5 A Getting pretty close to about 28 years. 6 Q So you lived there before there was phone 7 service? 8 A Oh, you bet. 9 Q You remember when we first instituted phone 10 service? 11 A You got it. 12 Q You remember that you were told clearly there 13 would not be local service to Mountain Home? 14 A Yes. 15 Q I'm glad somebody remembers besides me. 16 A But they also told us after 15 years it was 17 going to change. 18 COMMISSIONER SMITH: We thank you very much 19 for your testimony, Mr. Malota. 20 Next, I have Mary Kaye Jenks. 21 22 MARY KAYE JENKS, 23 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 24 sworn, testified as follows: 25 12 CSB REPORTING MALOTA Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 THE WITNESS: My name is Mary Kaye Jenks. I 2 live at 504 Ditto Creek Road in Mountain Home at 83647. 3 MS. COPSEY: Could you spell your name for 4 us, please? 5 THE WITNESS: M-a-r-y, K-a-y-e, J-e-n-k-s. 6 MS. COPSEY: Go ahead with your statement. 7 THE WITNESS: We've lived in Tipanuk, which 8 is the area that we live in, about eight years. Our 9 average phone bill is above $100. The local cost to us is 10 about $20 a month. So in addition to that we're paying at 11 least $80. Ninety-nine percent of all of our calls are 12 made to Mountain Home or to Boise. I feel it's important 13 that we have equal access both to Mountain Home and to 14 Boise. 15 The safety issue is a major issue. I do not 16 feel our current phone lines are sufficient. On Sunday, 17 for at least half an hour, we had tried to access our phone 18 lines and were unable to do so due to being told that all 19 phone lines were busy. 20 The major thing that was important to us is 21 that we institute 911. I have five children at home, and 22 it's important that they know how to do that. We do have 23 all of our phones listed with the Sheriff's office, because 24 that is the way that we access 911. When we first moved to 25 Tipanuk we tried 911, called the Sheriff, and she actually 13 CSB REPORTING JENKS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 let us practice it even though it was not in service at 2 that time. 3 Some of the important things I feel is that 4 across the way -- if you were to drive exactly across the 5 way to where we live, there is U S WEST local service to 6 Boise. It is a local Boise number in the exact opposite 7 area from where we are in situation to the freeway. 8 Another thing that I feel is, it's important 9 in these modern days that we have access to the computer. 10 I would be willing to pay $20 to $30 more a month to have 11 equal access to both Mountain Home and Boise just so that I 12 would be able to access on-line services for both my 13 children and for myself. I'm currently going to Boise 14 State and am required to maintain an on-line service as 15 part of my education. And that's part of the way that the 16 instructors communicate. And they are amazed that we are 17 unable to access that without having the charge. 18 Prior to the recent changes in our phone 19 service, within the last 30 days we were paying 35 cents a 20 minute for daytime no matter where we were calling, whether 21 it was in Boise or Mountain Home. Since we signed up with 22 MCI in the last 30 days that has dropped to 12 cents a 23 minute and 9 cents out of state. I feel our prices are 24 expensive. 25 I feel the lines are close enough that we can 14 CSB REPORTING JENKS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 access U S WEST. I feel that we can have the equal access 2 without too much trouble, and I also feel that we need to 3 have our lines upgraded to be able to handle the amount of 4 service that's necessary to maintain the area for which we 5 live. We're not in the middle of the mountains. We are 17 6 miles from Boise and 17 miles from Mountain Home. Thank 7 you. 8 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you. Let's see if 9 there are questions. 10 MS. COPSEY: I don't have any questions. 11 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Mr. Ward, I believe your 12 client has a question. 13 MR. WARD: We need to make a statement about 14 the 911 later, but I don't think I can ask a formidable 15 question and get the right answer. 16 COMMISSIONER SMITH: It wouldn't be very fair 17 to Ms. Jenks, would it? 18 MR. WARD: No. 19 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Ms. Hobson. 20 MS. HOBSON: No questions. 21 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Commissioner Kjellander. 22 23 24 25 15 CSB REPORTING JENKS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 EXAMINATION 2 3 BY COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER: 4 Q Ms. Jenks, you mentioned that 99 percent of 5 the calls that you make are long distance to Boise. Do you 6 have an idea what the breakdown of percentage is to 7 Mountain Home and to Boise? 8 A Approximately 20 percent to Mountain Home and 9 80 percent to Boise. 10 COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER: Thank you. 11 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Commissioner Hansen. 12 13 EXAMINATION 14 15 BY COMMISSIONER HANSEN: 16 Q If EAS was granted and it was a local call to 17 Mountain Home or Boise, would you make three times as many 18 calls as you make now, or maybe twice as many, or do you 19 think you would make about the same amount of calls? 20 A I don't feel our usage would increase 21 whatsoever. We are limited by the cost, but not 22 necessarily by the phone usage. And we would not make any 23 more than what we currently do. 24 Q Even though it might be a local call? 25 A Even though it would be a local call. 16 CSB REPORTING JENKS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 COMMISSIONER HANSEN: Thank you. 2 COMMISSIONER SMITH: I just had one 3 question. 4 5 EXAMINATION 6 7 BY COMMISSIONER SMITH: 8 Q You said yesterday or some day you 9 encountered the all-circuits busy? 10 A Correct. 11 Q Does that happen frequently or how 12 frequently? 13 A Every Sunday, specifically between the times 14 of 2:00 and 4:00. 15 Q Were you attempting to call Boise or Mountain 16 Home at that time? 17 A We were attempting to call Boise at that 18 time. 19 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Mr. Ward. 20 21 EXAMINATION 22 23 BY MR. WARD: 24 Q Ms. Jenks, you said you wouldn't make any 25 additional calls if you had EAS, but I think you testified 17 CSB REPORTING JENKS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 earlier that you would like an on-line service? 2 A Correct. 3 Q You don't have Internet access now, I take 4 it? 5 A No, we do not. 6 Q Do you think Internet access might change 7 your useage of the phone somewhat? 8 A The Internet access would definitely increase 9 our phone usage, but most of the time you can buy a $20 10 package with any of the on-line services and it's a flat 11 fee. 12 Q You understand, don't you, that's just for 13 the Internet access, that's not for the telephone use which 14 comes free? 15 A If our telephone use was free, then, yes. 16 MR. WARD: Thank you. 17 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you, 18 Ms. Jenks, for your testimony. 19 Bill Holland-Smith. 20 21 BILL HOLLAND-SMITH, 22 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 23 sworn, testified as follows: 24 25 18 CSB REPORTING JENKS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 THE WITNESS: My name is Bill Holland-Smith, 2 B-i-l-l, H-o-l-l-a-n-d-S-m-i-t-h. I live at 272 Squaw 3 Creek, which is in the Tipanuk Telephone Exchange. 4 MS. COPSEY: Did you say Squaw Creek? 5 THE WITNESS: Squaw Creek. 6 MS. COPSEY: What is the Zip Code on that? 7 THE WITNESS: 83647. 8 MS. COPSEY: Go ahead with your statement. 9 THE WITNESS: I, probably like a lot of the 10 other people here, didn't know that we would be presenting 11 anything to you. I thought we were going to get 12 information from you. And before the meeting started I 13 heard bits and pieces of some of the questions that had 14 been asked. 15 And from what I understand, for those of us 16 who live out in the Tipanuk area, all we're looking at is 17 toll free back to Mountain Home. And I didn't hear exactly 18 what the increase in that charge for that service was going 19 to be, if you could enlighten me a little bit on that. 20 MS. COPSEY: Charlene -- 21 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Ms. Copsey, this is kind 22 of awkward when the court reporter is taking it down, and 23 it really doesn't lend itself to question-and-answer. 24 Maybe if you could ask him if it was a certain amount, is 25 that within reason? 19 CSB REPORTING HOLLAND-SMITH Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 THE WITNESS: I'll make it easier. I 2 understand it was substantially more than what I'm paying 3 now. My phone bill averages right around $100 a month. 4 And 95 percent of everything that's on that bill are calls 5 to Boise. To have an increase in my phone bill for the 6 privilege of calling back to Mountain Home isn't doing 7 anything for me. I would like to have the Commission at 8 least consider or reconsider the position of adding Boise 9 to our calling area. 10 COMMISSIONER SMITH: If, for example, your 11 phone bill were to increase by $8 a month, I believe that 12 would bring it to about $29. You're residents, are you 13 not? 14 THE WITNESS: Yes. 15 COMMISSIONER SMITH: It would be about $29 a 16 month. Would that be something you would find acceptable? 17 THE WITNESS: I would have no problem with 18 that. 19 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Go ahead. 20 THE WITNESS: The other thing, the usage, I 21 think was one of the questions you asked the last person 22 that was up here. I don't foresee -- if I had free 23 calling, I don't foresee any increase. I only call when I 24 need to call. Cost isn't relevant in terms of whether I 25 need to make the call or not make the call. The 20 CSB REPORTING HOLLAND-SMITH Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 convenience of having it certainly is a reduction to my 2 long-distance charge, certainly. Just because it's free, I 3 wouldn't sit on the phone and call everybody I know three 4 or four times a day. 5 6 EXAMINATION 7 8 BY MS. COPSEY: 9 Q Can you give me an idea of how much your 10 long-distance charges right now are running, calling to 11 Mountain Home? 12 A My calls to Mountain Home are almost 13 nonexistent. 14 Q How about to Boise? 15 A About 95 percent of everything I do is 16 long-distance calls into Boise. 17 Q Do you have an idea of how much they're 18 running? 19 A I would say probably somewhere in the 20 vicinity of $56 to $60 a month, our Boise calls. And 21 everything else is our long-distance carrier out of state. 22 MS. COPSEY: Thank you. 23 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Mr. Ward. 24 25 21 CSB REPORTING HOLLAND-SMITH Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 EXAMINATION 2 3 BY MR. WARD: 4 Q Mr. Smith, you asked about how much 5 additional you would be willing to pay. And there 6 have been several figures bandied around in the 7 question-and-answer period beforehand, and in this hearing, 8 about how much EAS would cost. But let me tell you that in 9 all the prior cases the Commission has decided on 10 independent telephone companies and Extended Area Service, 11 the rates for the Extended Area Service have been $24 for 12 residents and $42 for business. Is that a rate you would 13 pay for Extended Area Service to the Boise EAS? 14 A Yes. 15 MR. WARD: Thank you. 16 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Ms. Hobson. 17 MS. HOBSON: No questions. 18 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Commissioners. 19 COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER: No questions. 20 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you very much for 21 your testimony. 22 Geri Perkins from Atlanta. 23 24 25 22 CSB REPORTING HOLLAND-SMITH Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 GERI PERKINS, 2 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 3 sworn, testified as follows: 4 5 THE WITNESS: Geri Perkins, G-e-r-i, last 6 name is P-e-r-k-i-n-s. Post Office Box 133, Atlanta. And 7 Zip Code is 8601 -- 83601. 8 MS. COPSEY: You can go ahead and give your 9 statement. 10 THE WITNESS: I represent about 40 people 11 that live in Atlanta year-round. And then it doubles in 12 size approximately in the summer. And we do have a 13 petition in where 25 or more of those people were very 14 interested in having an increased amount on their -- to 15 have the extended service. 16 I utilize my parents' phone. Their 17 last name is Schraff, and their bill is approximately 18 between $75 and $100 a month. We are very interested as is 19 the rest of the community. A lot of -- all of our medical 20 care is directly in Boise, Idaho, the majority of the 21 people there. So appointments, any medical care, canceling 22 appointments, prescription medications, pharmacy, and 23 things like that. 24 The school -- we are in Elmore County, but 25 we're kind of a long ways in the winter. We have to go 23 CSB REPORTING PERKINS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 through Boise to get there. So the school system does -- 2 we do have school going so they have computers. There's 3 several businesses -- our Highway Commission business is 4 done with Boise and we're very interested in having the 5 extended service. 6 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Any questions? 7 Ms. Copsey. 8 MS. COPSEY: Just a quick question. 9 10 EXAMINATION 11 12 BY MS. COPSEY: 13 Q How much would you be willing to pay in order 14 to have that Extended Area Service? You indicated that 15 your parents' bill is $75 to $100 a month. 16 A They would go with the reasonable amount of 17 what you stated to the gentleman before which you said what 18 was reasonable. Was it $24? 19 A $29 to $31. 20 Q I'm not speaking for the rest of the 21 community to that statement. 22 MS. COPSEY: Thank you. 23 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Any other questions? 24 Ms. Hobson. 25 24 CSB REPORTING PERKINS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 EXAMINATION 2 3 BY MS. HOBSON: 4 Q Is Boise itself your chief interest, or do 5 you also call, say, to Idaho City and other communities 6 around Boise? 7 A For my parents and myself, our majority of 8 calls are to Boise, about 90 percent. For the community as 9 a whole, just when I was talking to the people -- I kind of 10 was the person appointed to do a lot of this -- about 50 11 percent of the calls are to Boise, about 25 percent are to 12 Mountain Home, because of our accounting and our licensures 13 and forms and things, and then the other 25 percent is kind 14 of Caldwell/Nampa, those areas. But we feel like for the 15 community that Boise probably is the majority of our phone 16 calls. It definitely is for my parents and myself. 17 Q Do the children in Atlanta go to school in 18 Atlanta itself or where do they go? 19 A In Atlanta itself. 20 MS. HOBSON: Good. Thanks for your 21 testimony. 22 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Do we have questions 23 from the Commissioners? 24 Commissioner Hansen. 25 25 CSB REPORTING PERKINS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 EXAMINATION 2 3 BY COMMISSIONER HANSEN: 4 Q To be fair, I need to ask you the same 5 question. Would you utilize your phone a lot more if it 6 was local calling than it is the way it is? Would you call 7 twice as much? Three times as much? Or about the same? 8 A All my grandkids live in Boise. 9 Q Ten times? 10 A I call them a lot and my family calls me, so 11 it also would help them on their end of it. Probably it 12 wouldn't be that much more, but I don't know for sure. 13 COMMISSIONER HANSEN: Okay. Thank you. 14 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you very much for 15 your testimony. 16 Dewey Cooper. 17 18 DEWEY COOPER, 19 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 20 sworn, testified as follows: 21 22 EXAMINATION 23 24 BY MS. COPSEY: 25 Q Mr. Cooper, could you state your name and 26 CSB REPORTING COOPER Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 spell it for the record, and then give us your full 2 address, please? 3 A My name is Dewey Cooper. I live at 4 HC87, Box 345, Pine, Idaho. 5 Q Could you spell your first name, please. 6 A D-e-w-e-y. 7 Q Last name is C-o-o- 8 A C-o-o-p-e-r. 9 Q I'm sorry, I didn't catch the address? 10 A HC87, Box 345. 11 Q Thank you. Go ahead. 12 A I read a little bit of this here, the 13 handout, and it says that you're quasi-legislative and 14 you're quasi-judicial and quasi-commission. And I'm not 15 too sure what that means. But as far as I'm concerned, I 16 don't think anybody here wants anything for free. We're 17 willing to pay a going rate. That's not for me to decide, 18 it's for everybody here. 19 It seems to me a lot of people here have 20 already paid. They've got to pay for the access for the 21 Internet for public schools. I think it's about 22 $5 apiece for a month. There's probably 200 or 300 people 23 in here, $1,000 bucks more a month. 24 We have pretty poor phone lines. If we had 25 free access or equal access or something, it was, oh, 27 CSB REPORTING COOPER Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 monetary, a small charge. We would still be on a long 2 time, because even on the Internet everybody has got -- 3 what I've found it to be -- slow lines, so you have to stay 4 on to get a download or upload anyway. 5 We have a business. We spend a lot of money, 6 thousands a month, on the phone lines. So with the 911 7 charge, which I think is not operational, we're paying for 8 it. And I think you're also ruled by the FCC on the charge 9 maybe a little bit. Of the $3 or $5 a month charge, which 10 is going to be up every year, perhaps to the tune of these 11 people here $1,500 a month, I think we've already paid. I 12 would like to see us have a little bit more flexability and 13 that might free up some money and might free up some jobs. 14 That's all I have to say. 15 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Let's see if there are 16 any questions from the Commission. 17 Commissioner Kjellander. 18 19 EXAMINATION 20 21 BY COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER: 22 Q Just a quick question. You mentioned 23 something about an Internet fee that you're paying. Could 24 you describe to me about how that is assessed and who you 25 pay that to? 28 CSB REPORTING COOPER Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 A Our Internet fee, right now I think we pay it 2 to Micron. But there's IP providers -- Internet providers 3 in Boise. If that was free access or equal access or -- 4 plus a small charge, we could call them directly and just 5 pay a monthly fee. We do a lot of work on the Internet. 6 We talk to people in congress. We do a lot of research. 7 We have a lot of resources on the Internet and it's a vital 8 part of our business. 9 COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER: Thank you. 10 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you very much for 11 your testimony. 12 John Mason. 13 14 JOHN MASON, 15 appearing as a public witness, having first affirmed, 16 testified as follows: 17 18 EXAMINATION 19 20 BY MS. COPSEY: 21 Q Mr. Mason, would you state your name and 22 spell it and give us your address, please? 23 A John Mason, M-a-s-o-n, HC87, Box 497, 24 Featherville, Idaho, 83647. 25 Q You can go ahead with your statement. 29 CSB REPORTING MASON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 A Yes. I am having some difficulty this 2 evening with obtaining information as to what I'm supposed 3 to be testifying about. I had the same problem when we 4 were sent the form with regard to equal access. When I 5 received the equal access form it listed many companies 6 that were going to provide service. We took the time to 7 contact each of those. Representations were made to us by 8 each of those carriers. 9 Based upon the information which we were 10 furnished by Rural Telephone, it was my understanding that 11 the information that we were to obtain from those carriers 12 would be what we could rely upon. I found that to be 13 incorrect. 14 We ultimately chose to sign up with AT&T. 15 When I received my first telephone bill, I had not received 16 the discounts which I had been told I would obtain. I 17 contacted Rural Telephone and they were very polite to me 18 and told me there was nothing they could do; it was AT&Ts 19 problem. I contacted AT&T and they immediately told me it 20 was Rural Telephone's problem. Well, this made me mad. 21 I then continued to make numerous telephone 22 calls until such time as I reached an individual at 23 AT&T who finally said, "Well, we will stand by the 24 representation made by the AT&T representative, and 25 we will manually, by hand, every month, make the 30 CSB REPORTING MASON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 calculations." Now, I realize that this is not germane 2 to what we're discussing this evening, but, on the other 3 hand, I think it is because I've listened to several people 4 stand here and testify and they don't know what they're 5 supposed to be testifying about. 6 I have heard at least five to six different 7 quotes as to what the cost would be in the event the 8 service were provided. Now, I think that's unfair. I 9 think that people should have the right to know what the 10 dollar amount or the range is without having some type of 11 an option as to how much am I willing to pay. Would I pay 12 $10? $20? $30? $40? I don't know. What am I going to 13 get for it? I don't think that's the proper way to do 14 this. I think you folks know darn good and well what the 15 range is we're talking to, and I think it should be made 16 clear to everyone here tonight as to what those dollar 17 amounts are. 18 In the question-and-answer period it was my 19 understanding that the Staff has written a report. Maybe I 20 misunderstood, but that's what I was told. And the Staff's 21 recommendation was to be made public. It would appear to 22 me that that should have been made public so we would know 23 what we are addressing, and then we could have commented in 24 an intelligent and informed way. However, so be it. 25 I can only speak for myself, but I, myself, 31 CSB REPORTING MASON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 am interested in having the service extended into Mountain 2 Home and into the Treasure Valley. I am primarily 3 interested in the Treasure Valley because most of my 4 telephone calls are made to that area. But I do have some 5 difficulty with the explanations which I received earlier 6 with regard to how the cost is calculated. 7 Now, I do have some knowledge with regard to 8 rate base and utility commissions, et cetera, et cetera, 9 et cetera, but when I have people standing up and telling 10 me that the state is subsidizing it and then others are 11 telling me, no, the state doesn't subsidize it, another 12 says it comes from here and another says it comes from 13 here, that's confusing to people and is confusing to me. 14 And it makes me wonder about the process. I can't speak 15 for anyone else in the Featherville area, but I sincerely 16 request that you extend the service into both Mountain Home 17 and into the Treasure Valley. 18 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Let's see if there are 19 any questions. 20 MS. COPSEY: I don't have any questions. 21 MR. WARD: No questions. 22 MS. HOBSON: I guess I have one. 23 24 25 32 CSB REPORTING MASON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 EXAMINATION 2 3 BY MS. HOBSON: 4 Q Are you a full-time resident? 5 A I am a full-time resident. I have lived 6 there for five years. When I moved there -- in response to 7 your previous response to a gentleman -- yes, I recognized 8 that there was only a limited telephone service, but I 9 don't think that was germane either. I think that the age 10 is coming when people have got to have access. And if what 11 you hear is true, you know, if this is the information age, 12 not the industrial age any longer, then I think we all 13 should recognize that. 14 COMMISSIONER SMITH: I think we do. That's 15 why we're here tonight. 16 THE WITNESS: I have one more comment. If I 17 understood what the Staff was recommending, which we 18 haven't heard -- yes, I do mean to keep reiterating that. 19 I'm going to address it. It was my understanding that the 20 Staff was going to recommend that it only be extended to 21 Mountain Home. Well, now, if that's the case, then what 22 good does it do me to testify, because a decision has 23 already been made with regard to the Staff's position? So 24 it would appear to me that that's kind of a meaningless 25 exercise in futility. Maybe I'm wrong. 33 CSB REPORTING MASON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 COMMISSIONER SMITH: I think you are. 2 THE WITNESS: In what regard am I wrong? 3 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Well, the Staff can 4 propose anything, but the Commission listens to all the 5 evidence. 6 THE WITNESS: Am I correct that the Staff has 7 already made or is in the process of making its 8 recommendation and they have made their determination? 9 COMMISSIONER SMITH: They have filed 10 testimony, but the technical hearing in this case is not 11 scheduled, I believe, until March 2. 12 THE WITNESS: That's not responsive to my 13 question. My question is: Has the staff made a 14 recommendation to the Commission? 15 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Mr. Mason, you would 16 have to take it up with them, and please do it off the 17 record. 18 THE WITNESS: I don't want to do it off the 19 record. 20 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Mr. Mason, you are now 21 out of order and you are excused. 22 THE WITNESS: Well, that's your opinion not 23 mine. 24 COMMISSIONER SMITH: David Shaw. 25 34 CSB REPORTING MASON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 DAVID SHAW, 2 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 3 sworn, testified as follows: 4 5 THE WITNESS: My name is David Shaw, 6 S-h-a-w. I live at 510 Ditto Creek Road, Mountain Home, 7 Idaho, 83647. A lot of the points have already been 8 covered. What my wife and I feel basically is not everyone 9 can live in the city. All of us have chosen to live out in 10 the rural areas. A lot of us make our living out in the 11 rural area, whether it be a ranch or businesses or whatever 12 the case may be, or to have our children live out in that 13 type of environment. Yet, I feel that we're being 14 penalized because of that choice that we have made. 15 My wife and I run two businesses in Boise, 16 also a small ranch. Our phone bill runs probably, average, 17 $135 to $155 every month. Sixty percent of that is long 18 distance to Boise. And the rest of that is to Mountain 19 Home. But all of it -- 98 percent of it -- 99 is all long 20 distance in-state, and maybe one percent of it is 21 out-of-state calling. 22 As far as what we would pay -- of course, we 23 would like to pay zero for equal access. I think all of us 24 here would be more than happy to pay quite a bit more. 25 Just my analyzation of what we would pay, an extra $25 to 35 CSB REPORTING SHAW Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 $30 a month extra, because I think that would whittle 2 everybody's phone bill down probably 80 percent. 3 Again, we would like to have equal 4 access to both Boise and Mountain Home, and not be 5 penalized for where we live. And have the access, as my 6 children get older and want to use the Internet, and be 7 able to get on the Internet without having to say, "Well, 8 it's long distance. You have to get off it." Or "I need 9 to call mom or dad." And "No, you can't, because it's long 10 distance." Again, being penalized. That's not what the 11 equal access is all about, and we feel that things have to 12 change for the better of our children as they get older. 13 That's about it. 14 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Let's see if there are 15 questions. 16 MS. COPSEY: I have no questions. 17 18 EXAMINATION 19 20 BY COMMISSIONER SMITH: 21 Q I guess if we got EAS and you were paying in 22 the range that's been mentioned between $24 and 10 cents, 23 between that and $31, would you then get a second line so 24 your kids could be on the Internet all the time? 25 A Well, of course I would, I think, just 36 CSB REPORTING SHAW Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 because of that line being tied up. But, then, again, 2 you're going to be paying for that extra line. Which it's 3 been brought up before, nobody minds paying more for what 4 they're getting. 5 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Okay. Thank you. 6 That's the end of the people who have signed 7 up previously on the list to testify. If there's anyone 8 now who wishes to make a point and their point hasn't been 9 made, please come forward. There's a couple back there. 10 11 JAMES FRANKLIN HOPSON, 12 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 13 sworn, testified as follows: 14 15 EXAMINATION 16 17 BY MS. COPSEY: 18 Q Do you want to state your name for the 19 record. 20 A My name is James Franklin Hopson, J-a-m-e-s, 21 H-o-p-s-o-n. 22 Q Can you tell us your mailing address? 23 A My address is 140 Squaw Creek Road, Mountain 24 Home, Idaho. 25 Q Thank you. You can go ahead and testify. 37 CSB REPORTING HOPSON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 A I have kids in school here in Mountain Home. 2 We had a snowstorm. I could not call the school without 3 calling long distance to find out where the hell the bus 4 was. I worry about my kids. A week before, an idiot run 5 the stop sign and hit the bus. I didn't know nothing about 6 it. It's long distance. 7 I'm a disabled veteran. I have to call Boise 8 to check about VA appointments. What is the garbage in 9 this? I left this country 30 years ago. I grew up in 10 Burley. I come back here and all I find is a bunch of 11 bogus garbage, and I think we have had just about enough of 12 it. And I'd sure appreciate it if you people would get it 13 straightened out. 14 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Any questions? Thank 15 you for your testimony. 16 17 KELLEY RODGERS, 18 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 19 sworn, testified as follows: 20 21 EXAMINATION 22 23 BY MS. COPSEY: 24 Q Could you please state your name for the 25 record and spell it for us? 38 CSB REPORTING RODGERS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 A My name is Kelley Rodgers, K-e-l-l-e-y, 2 R-o-d-g-e-r-s. I live at 127 Squaw Creek Road, Mountain 3 Home, 83647. We were at the first meetings that they had 4 when Rural Telephone decided to come out when Mr. Martell 5 offered us all service. We were very happy at the time to 6 get anything that we could get, because it's better than 7 having nothing. 8 We are now in a situation. I live, I guess, 9 maybe five miles west of Tipanuk. We're not really a part 10 of Tipanuk, but they consider us in that calling area. The 11 people out there -- the population has probably doubled or 12 tripled. From my understanding, U S WEST lines run pretty 13 close to where we live. I see no reason why we cannot have 14 equal access. 15 I believe it's been mandated that enhanced 16 911 be out in our area. We pay $1 a month. I believe 75 17 cents of that dollar is given to the phone company, Rural 18 Telephone, I believe. I looked it up in the records. And 19 yet we don't have -- we don't even have access to 911. We 20 live in a very rural community out there. We need equal 21 access to Mountain Home and to Boise -- not one or the 22 other. 23 You have asked repeatedly "How much would you 24 be willing to pay for this equal access?" You know, I 25 imagine that at first there's going to be a honeymoon 39 CSB REPORTING RODGERS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 period and everybody is going to be calling everybody in 2 Boise or Mountain Home, and then things are going to settle 3 down. I think our rate is $15 a month. I think, you know, 4 $35 a month -- $25 to $35 for a basic rate for access to 5 Mountain Home and Boise is reasonable. Why should we be 6 left out of the loop when it's going to be equal access to 7 Boise and Mountain Home? Why are we being penalized 8 because we have private service from a private phone 9 company? 10 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Does that conclude your 11 statement? Let's see there if there are any questions. 12 I just have one. 13 14 EXAMINATION 15 16 BY COMMISSIONER SMITH: 17 Q When you say "equal access," you mean 18 toll-free calling? Calling that's not long distance? 19 A Yes, to Boise and to Mountain Home. 20 Q That's what you mean when you say "equal 21 access"? 22 A Yes. 23 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you very much. 24 There was a gentleman -- right there. 25 40 CSB REPORTING RODGERS Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 BOB SWANSON, 2 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 3 sworn, testified as follows: 4 5 THE WITNESS: My name is Bob Swanson. That's 6 B-o-b, S-w-a-n-s-o-n. Right now I live at 1825 Lincoln 7 Street, Mountain Home. My mailing address is HC87, Box 8 202, Pine, Idaho. I was the originator of the petition 9 from the Boise River Valley to the IPUC to get Extended 10 Area Service, not equal access. And a lot of people get 11 confused about that. 12 As a matter of fact, I have a couple letters 13 over in my jacket that I have to bring over yet. The 14 majority of people that I've talked to in the Boise River 15 are in favor of Extended Area Service not only to Mountain 16 Home, but also to the Treasure Valley EAS, primarily for 17 business and for governmental offices and things of that 18 nature. 19 Myself, I am retired, also. And I'm a 20 disabled person, as you can probably see. And I do the 21 majority of my doctoring in Mountain Home at the base or I 22 do my doctoring in Boise. So I make these calls. And 23 people talk about long-distance phones bills. My average 24 is around $200 a month. Now, a lot of that is out of state 25 because I also call my children frequently. But my instate 41 CSB REPORTING SWANSON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 calls are quite high, also. 2 And while living up on the mountain I had two 3 telephone numbers at the 653 exchange, one for Internet 4 access and the other one for a private line. I also paid 5 for not having people call me, but -- and I did receive 6 from the IPUC the testimony -- I can't remember the 7 gentleman's name, and I reviewed that. And the indication 8 that I got in that testimony was it would be reasonable if 9 they included Atlanta, Prairie, Tipanuk, and Boise River in 10 the Treasure Valley Exchange. 11 The increase from current bill for service 12 would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $18 a month. And 13 the other recommendation that I saw in there was to include 14 Boise River, Tipanuk into the Boise -- or into the Mountain 15 Home EAS only at an increase of about $4, roughly. So I'm 16 a little bit confused about those figures, also. 17 And when I talk about -- or when people are 18 sitting up here and they're talking about they would be 19 willing to pay $25, $35 a month, I'm not sure if they meant 20 that was increased over what they currently are being 21 charged or if that's what they would totally like to see. 22 In other words, what I'm saying is, yes, it wouldn't bother 23 me. Like I say, I had two numbers up there and I will have 24 another one up there again this summer, because I'll be 25 living back up there again this summer. 42 CSB REPORTING SWANSON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 But, you know, it was kind of unclear to 2 me -- what are you proposing for an increase? Are you 3 talking about an $18 increase over my current rate or are 4 you talking about like a $35 rate hike or $17 or whatever 5 the dollar figure is? That's what I don't understand. And 6 there is a lot of people that get confused. 7 I have no problem and the majority of people 8 don't have any problem with paying an increase of $3 or $4 9 a month more for equal access from Boise River to Mountain 10 Home. But the majority of their business -- or a lot of 11 their business, I should say, probably, is maybe -- let's 12 put it, oh, maybe 60 percent Boise, 40 percent Mountain 13 Home. So they're also very interested in getting that 14 Treasure Valley extended area, not just Mountain Home. 15 And I think that this hearing and the 16 opportunity for us to be able to sit here and discuss this 17 is very important, and for the IPUC to even consider our 18 petition were it being included in any form of an equal 19 access service. 20 I'm also very big on the Internet, and I use 21 it frequently. When I lived at Pine I used AOL. I paid 22 $20 a month plus 10 cents a minute through their 800 23 service. So it is available, but it's very spendy. And I 24 was on and off the Internet very frequently. 25 And I know you're going to ask this 43 CSB REPORTING SWANSON Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 question: Would I increase the frequency of my calls to 2 Boise or to the Pine/Featherville area? Heck, I think I 3 make enough phone calls as it is now. I'm on the phone -- 4 my wife tells me I'm on the phone 24 hours a day. I call 5 up and down -- like I say, my phone bill is expensive, but 6 I'm paying for that. And I think it would be great if we 7 could get equal access and lower those costs and bring us 8 into the fold. Thank you. 9 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you. Let's see if 10 there are any questions. 11 MS. COPSEY: I don't have any questions. 12 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you very much for 13 your testimony. 14 THE WITNESS: You're welcome. 15 16 LARRY PIRKEY, 17 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 18 sworn, testified as follows: 19 20 EXAMINATION 21 22 BY MS. COPSEY: 23 Q Do you want to go ahead and state your name 24 and spell it for us and then give us your address? 25 A My name is Larry Pirkey, L-a-r-r-y, 44 CSB REPORTING PIRKEY Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 P-i-r-k-e-y, and I live at 45 Ditto Creek Road in Tipanuk 2 Farms. 3 Q Go ahead with your statement. 4 A The reason I asked to be allowed to testify, 5 my wife and I represent a spectrum of the population that 6 hasn't been discussed yet. But we moved out to Tipanuk and 7 started talking to Rural Telephone Company and found out 8 what services were not available. We opted not to get the 9 telephone, because why pay that monthly charge for the 10 privilege of making every call a long-distance call. 11 Tipanuk Farms is a small enough community 12 that if I want to talk to our neighbors, we just walk 13 across the street and talk to them. If I want to call 14 anybody else, I'm talking long distance. That includes my 15 retired relatives up in Placerville; a dear aunt and 16 uncle. 17 So we opted to go with a cell phone, because 18 there was no service provided by Rural Telephone other than 19 they run a line to the house and we pay long-distance 20 charges. Once we got the cell phone, we found out the area 21 we live in is a dead spot. So now we have a telephone that 22 we can use if we drive into Boise or Mountain Home, but 23 from our own home we cannot use a cell phone because we 24 usually have to make -- throw maximum on the power. 25 I've heard many different charges discussed 45 CSB REPORTING PIRKEY Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 tonight for people like myself. The charges are 2 immaterial. We're looking for service. I mean, I have 3 a -- I don't want to get morbid, but I have a diabetic 4 condition. I have a heart problem. It would be nice if my 5 wife felt secure knowing that she could pick up a phone and 6 dial 911 without having to go long distance and hope the 7 lines aren't tied up, et cetera. 8 So when you consider your proposals, I would 9 just like you to think about the people like us that 10 decided not to pay what we thought was an exorbitant amount 11 of money to get hooked up and the minimal $15 a month just 12 to have a telephone line. Everything else was long 13 distance. That's all I have to say. 14 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Let's see if there are 15 questions for you. 16 MS. COPSEY: I have no questions. 17 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Well, we can consider 18 making toll-free areas, but I can tell you it is not within 19 our control to give you 911. Okay? 20 THE WITNESS: I understand, but I just 21 thought the comment had to be made. 22 COMMISSIONER SMITH: It's so noted. Thank 23 you very much. 24 25 46 CSB REPORTING PIRKEY Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 FLOYD VENABLE, 2 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 3 sworn, testified as follows: 4 5 EXAMINATION 6 7 BY MS. COPSEY: 8 Q Do you want to state your full name and spell 9 it for us? 10 A My name is Floyd Venable, F-l-o-y-d, 11 V-e-n-a-b-l-e. I live at Prairie, Idaho. 12 Q Could you give us the mailing address, 13 please? 14 A HC84, Box 62, Mountain Home, Idaho, 83647. 15 Q Thank you. Go ahead and give your 16 testimony. 17 A Now, the majority of the people that -- we 18 only have about actually slightly over 20 people on the 19 Prairie that you can actually call local -- slightly over 20 20. Maybe, you know -- now, some of them -- Davisons, and 21 some of those, do a tremendous amount of calling because 22 they're a larger business, you see. Then there are retired 23 people that cannot -- don't want a large increase in their 24 power bill. We're already paying -- I'm not sure, but -- I 25 pay the bill every month. But I think that we're paying 47 CSB REPORTING VENABLE Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 approximately $20, with the fees that you get along with 2 that, for approximately 20 local phones. 3 Now, our microwave that our Rural Telephone 4 Company provides for us -- now, we appreciate this, of 5 having access to the world, you know, but our microwave 6 goes right to Deer Point, I think, goes through Boise, back 7 to Glenns Ferry. So we're willing to pay the Rural 8 Telephone Company. And I am quite sure that they are 9 subsidized. Now, I'm not positive of this, but I'm pretty 10 sure they're subsidized. Rural -- it's just like ERA or 11 something like that, these types of things are subsidized 12 for second-class citizens or, say, whatever, country boys, 13 whatever, you know. 14 The majority of our calls go to Boise, I am 15 sure. And we would like to be -- personally, and I think 16 the majority of the people on the Prairie would like to be 17 local with Boise. I think -- I don't know what their basic 18 rate is, but I would say it wasn't much different than 19 ours. They have access to, what, two or three hundred 20 thousand phones, and we have access to 20. 21 We appreciate the government or the -- 22 helping the Rural Telephone system put us into the ability 23 to call, but I do think we're being stomped on a little 24 here. Because when the Rural Telephone Company came up 25 there, and I'm sure that if there's -- there's some here 48 CSB REPORTING VENABLE Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 from the Prairie. That when they met in the community 2 hall, they told us that we could have local access with 3 someone. 4 Now, here we've got -- I can damn near throw 5 a potato over to Fallwick's, you know. We're not even 6 local with them. And another thing, I think that the 7 people who don't use the phone much should not be 8 assessed -- I use it a lot, okay, so I'm not stating this 9 for myself. But there's a lot of people up there, quite a 10 few, that don't use the phone that much but they shouldn't 11 be assessed this higher fee to get in the local system with 12 the rest of the community. 13 And I'm sorry that I couldn't find this 14 place, and I was a little late getting here, so I don't 15 know if this subject was brought up or not. Our school 16 can't even get in on the Internet, you know. So I think 17 they should have that. I'm not interested in the Internet 18 personally, but I have a grandson who spends his summers 19 with me constantly. I don't even know how to turn a 20 computer on. But he is exceptionally bright on it, and 21 it's a necessity now. And when he comes up and spend his 22 summers, he will be on there. I want him to excel. 23 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Okay. Let's see if 24 there are any questions for you. 25 MS. COPSEY: I don't have any questions. 49 CSB REPORTING VENABLE Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 MS. HOBSON: No questions. 2 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you very much for 3 your testimony. 4 THE WITNESS: Thank you. 5 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Were there other hands? 6 Yes, sir. 7 8 DAVE OWEN, 9 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 10 sworn, testified as follows: 11 12 EXAMINATION 13 14 BY MS. COPSEY: 15 Q State your full name, please? 16 A Just one thing before my testimony. I will 17 be a hell of a lot more honest than our Commander in 18 Chief. 19 Q I certainly appreciate that. Would you, 20 please, give us your name? 21 A Dave Owen. Box 272, Pine, Idaho. 22 Q Could you spell your name? 23 A Dave, D-a-v-e, Owen, O-w-e-n. 24 Q Thank you. Go ahead. 25 A My question to you is this: This 50 CSB REPORTING OWEN Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 Exhibit 101, are you the folks that prepared that, or who 2 did? 3 COMMISSIONER SMITH: You can talk to those 4 folks about that, and it's easier if you do it off the 5 record. If you have a statement you would like to make to 6 us, that's what we're using this time for. 7 THE WITNESS: My question -- or my statement 8 to you folks, then, whoever prepared this document, the way 9 it appears to me like the total estimated cost per month 10 would be $17.27, and that's for the access of the entire 11 region, Boise. If these figures are accurate, I don't know 12 why we would be questioned as to "What are you going to be 13 willing to pay?" 14 COMMISSIONER SMITH: I think if you look at 15 that, that's the total cost per line per month that is 16 calculated by this person and may be disagreed to by the 17 Company -- I don't know -- for EAS only. And that would be 18 in addition to the part that you have to pay below in your 19 basic rate. 20 THE WITNESS: That's the way I understand 21 it. Is this somewhere in the ballpark? 22 COMMISSIONER SMITH: I think it's probably in 23 the ballpark somewhere. 24 THE WITNESS: Well, I would just state, then, 25 if this is in the ballpark, I would sure as heck be willing 51 CSB REPORTING OWEN Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 to pay that $17.27 to have access to the Valley as well as 2 Mountain Home, because my calls are about equally divided. 3 COMMISSIONER SMITH: That's why we're here is 4 to find out what kind of service people need and what 5 they're willing to pay. 6 THE WITNESS: I don't know how many people 7 have had access to this document. 8 COMMISSIONER SMITH: All right. Let's see if 9 there are any questions. 10 MS. COPSEY: I don't have any questions. 11 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you, sir, for your 12 testimony. 13 Is there any one else who wishes to make a 14 statement or feels that their point hasn't been made? Yes, 15 ma'am. 16 17 RETA BROWN, 18 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 19 sworn, testified as follows: 20 21 EXAMINATION 22 23 BY MS. COPSEY: 24 Q Do you want to go ahead and state your name 25 for the record, spell it for us, and give us your address? 52 CSB REPORTING BROWN Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 A Reta Brown, 508 Ditto Creek Road, 83647, 2 R-e-t-a, B-r-o-w-n. 3 Q Thank you. Go ahead and give your 4 testimony. 5 A Do you realize that if anybody -- all of them 6 could call someplace without it being long distance, maybe 7 you guys would have a lot more customers and then the cost 8 would not be so high? And a lot of us have to have our 9 phones. My husband is in the military. I had to wait two 10 years without having a phone. Then we were ordered to have 11 a phone. Now, how many out here absolutely have to have a 12 phone? Myself, I would like to throw it out. I hate a 13 phone. But because we have to have it, we're paying for 14 nothing but a telephone to sit in the house. 15 For us to call long distance -- for my 16 husband to call his work is long distance, and that is 17 ridiculous. How many people have to call the hospital? A 18 doctor? I made five phone calls the other day just to get 19 a dentist appointment. Every one of them is long 20 distance. My mother is 74. I call her. That's long 21 distance. And we are in a new age. We're not in the Stone 22 Age. 23 We're not that far from Boise or Mountain 24 Home. I know people that live out of Idaho City about 10, 25 15 miles, clear up in boondocks and they get every place: 53 CSB REPORTING BROWN Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 Emmett, Boise, Caldwell, Nampa. Not one of it is long 2 distance. So why us? We're a heck of a lot closer. 3 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Are there any 4 questions? 5 MS. COPSEY: No questions. 6 MS. HOBSON: No questions. 7 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Thank you very much for 8 your testimony. 9 It appears that we've taken the statements of 10 all those who wish to make a statement -- oh, one more. 11 Please, sir. 12 13 RON RAYDET, 14 appearing as a public witness, having been first duly 15 sworn, testified as follows: 16 17 THE WITNESS: My name is Ron Raydet, 18 R-a-y-d-e-t. Mailing address is Post Office Box 521, 19 Mountain Home, Idaho, 83647. 20 MS. COPSEY: You beat me to it. 21 THE WITNESS: First of all, I would like to 22 say this to the Commission. Thank you for giving us the 23 opportunity to speak. To your Staff, to U S WEST, Ponderay 24 Telephone Company. We appreciate you dearly. It may not 25 sound like that, but we love you and we hope you see things 54 CSB REPORTING RAYDET Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 our way. 2 I represent and am one of the owners of a 3 development north and east of the freeway about halfway 4 between Boise and Mountain Home off of Highway 30. We 5 anticipate a density -- 160 acres. In fact, I'll give you 6 a legal description: Section 29, Township 1 South, Range 5 7 East, 160 acres. We anticipate a density 15 to 25 watts. 8 We're dealing with Mr. Martell and his family trying to 9 obtain telephone service at this time. And all the 10 interest we have either in the form of earnest money, 11 purchase agreements, signer interested parties have been 12 primarily from the Boise area or Mountain Home retirees, 13 military working in Boise. All of the interests we have 14 are people that would be commuting to Boise to work, and 15 they're awfully disappointed that we don't have a little 16 better -- a little less costly service for the Treasure 17 Valley and Mountain Home. 18 We hope that you can see your way clear to 19 maybe include us within the Mountain Home/Treasure Valley 20 proposal that's been approved already. That area between 21 Boise and Mountain Home is probably going to grow quite a 22 bit in the future. It's only limited by the services that 23 are available, and that includes the water and electricity 24 and telephone. Again, thank you for coming and giving us 25 an opportunity to speak. 55 CSB REPORTING RAYDET Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 MS. COPSEY: Before you leave -- 2 unfortunately, we didn't write down your first name. 3 THE WITNESS: Ron, R-o-n. 4 MS. COPSEY: Thank you. 5 COMMISSIONER SMITH: Are there any 6 questions? Thank you very much for your testimony. 7 Okay. I think we have come to the end of 8 those who wish to make a statement, and the Commission 9 wants to thank all those who attended tonight. Our process 10 probably does seem strange, overly long and cumbersome to 11 you all, but it is a process that works. It has changed 12 telephone service dramatically over the last two or three 13 years in terms of the size of local calling areas, and we 14 are pleased to consider your petition. 15 And, like I say, there's a technical hearing 16 scheduled for -- I think it's March 2 at the Commission 17 office. And as soon thereafter as we can make a decision 18 and let you know, we will. So we thank you for coming 19 tonight and the hearing is adjourned. 20 (The hearing was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.) 21 22 23 24 25 56 CSB REPORTING RAYDET Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public 1 AUTHENTICATION 2 3 This is to certify that the foregoing 4 proceedings held in the matter of the petition of customers 5 of the Rural Telephone Company to join the Treasure Valley 6 extended service calling area, and the petition of 7 customers of the Rural Telephone Company Boise River 8 Exchange to join the U S WEST Mountain Home Exchange 9 and/or the Treasure Valley extended service calling area, 10 the proceedings commencing at 7:00 p.m., on Tuesday, 11 February 16, 1999, at Mountain Home Senior High School, 12 300 S. 11th East, Mountain Home, Idaho, is a true and 13 correct transcript of said proceedings and the original 14 thereof for the file of the Commission. 15 16 17 18 19 JEANNE M. HIRMER 20 Certified Shorthand Reporter #318 21 22 23 24 25 57 CSB REPORTING AUTHENTICATION Wilder, Idaho 83676 Public