20060906Answer to Downey's letter.pdf

Mary S. Hobson
Attorney & Counselor
999 Main, Suite 1103
Boise, ID 83702
208-385-8666
RECEIVED
200& SEP -6 AM 9: 24
IDAHO pusLlg "
UTILITIES COMMiSSION
September 5, 2006
VIA HAND DELIVERY
Cecelia Gassner
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472 West Washington
Boise, ill 83702-5983
RE: Downey v. Qwest Corporation-Case No. QWE-O6-
Dear Ms. Gassner:
This is in response to John Downey s letter addressed to Jean Jewell dated August 21
2006. In that letter Mr. Downey forwarded several Qwest billing documents that in my
opinion support Qwest's position in this complaint case.
Mr. Downey has complained that he was unaware that Qwest had installed an additional
line at his business location and that Qwest did not give him notice of this fact. However
among the bills provided by Mr. Downey was one bearing the date June 4 2001 on
which, under the heading "Service Additions and Changes " the addition of a business
PRI flat-rated line was clearly itemized. On that same bill, Mr. Downey was also charged
a $52.00 fee for "service line connected 5-10-01." The June 2001 bill also marked a
significant increase in the amount ofMr. Downey s monthly phone bill that apparently
went unnoticed until several years later.
Mr. Downey s letter did not enclose billing statements for the year 2002, although the
bills he did provide all clearly show that after June 2001 his monthly charges increased
consistent with the installation of new line. Similarly, as Mr. Downey admits, the
February bills for 2003 and 2004 also itemize the existence of three lines, which justify
the monthly charges. Finally, as Mr. Downey also admits, starting in June 2004, Qwestadopted a new billing format that itemized the number of lines being provided each
month. Nevertheless Qwest has no record that Mr. Downey complained about the
additional line until more than one year later, in September 2005.
As Qwest previously noted in its answer, it has already provided this customer 14
month's credit for the additional line in the interest of positive customer relations.
However, Qwest submits that the evidence Mr. Downey has himself produced supports
Qwest's claim that the customer was given notice ofthe installation and should have been
aware of the existence of the third line.
If you have any questions, please contact me. Thank you for your cooperation in this
matter.
Very truly yours
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M~; ~~son
cc. John C. Downey