The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About200602081st staff request to RUR.pdf, TD WELDON B, STUTZMAN DEPUTY ATTORNEYS GENERAL IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION PO BOX 83720 BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074 (208) 334-0318 IDAHO BAR NO. 3283 . \' r; ". 1 ." 1'. I ., ,, '" ,' , (:,1 l L. ii ; E c:; " Street Address for Express Mail: 472 W. WASHINGTON BOISE, IDAHO 83702-5983 Attorney for the Commission Staff BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF THE INVESTIGATION OF RURAL TELEPHONE COMPANY' COMPLIANCE WITH COMMISSION RULES CASE NO. RUR-06- FIRST PRODUCTION REQUEST OF THE COMMISSION STAFF TO RURAL TELEPHONE COMPANY The Staff of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, by and through its attorney of record Weldon B. Stutzman, Deputy Attorney General, requests that Rural Telephone Company (Rural Telephone; Company) provide the following documents and information on or before WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1,2006. The Company is reminded that responses pursuant to Commission Rules of Procedure must include the name and phone number of the person preparing the document, and the name location and phone number of the record holder. Reference IDAP A 31.01.01.228. This Production Request is to be considered as continuing, and Rural Telephone Company is requested to provide, by way of supplementary responses, additional documents that it or any person acting on its behalf may later obtain that will augment the documents produced. Please provide answers to each question, supporting workpapers that provide detail or are the source of information used in calculations, and the name and telephone number of the person FIRST PRODUCTION REQUEST TO RURAL TELEPHONE FEBRUARY 8 , 2006 preparing the documents, Please identify the name, location and telephone number of the record holder. For each item, please indicate the name of the person(s) preparing the answers, along with the job title of such person( s) and the witness who can sponsor the answer at hearing if need be. Request No.1: Pursuant to the Commission s Telephone Customer Relations Rules 501-503, are customers entitled to a refund of their monthly service charges for December 2005? Request No.2: Did the Company adequately respond to the reports of service outage by customers? Request No.3: What steps, if any, should the Company take to mitigate the possibility of outages caused by winter snowfalls? Request No.4: Does the Company experience network congestion, and if so, what remedies are available? Request No.5: Are the Company s directories in compliance with the Commission Rules? Request No.6: How does the Company ensure it properly identifies customers as residential or business in compliance with the terms of its tariff? Request No.7: What are the Company s business office hours? By what means, e. telephone call or e-mail, can customers contact the Company during regular office hours? what means, e., telephone call or e-mail, can customers contact the Company for all other times? Request No.8: Please provide a copy of the Company s customer service training manual. Request No.9: Does the Company provide dial-up or broadband Internet access to Atlanta? Request No. 10: Does the Company have any employees stationed in Atlanta? If so describe duties, Request No. 11: What options does a customer have for listing their address in the Company s directory? FIRST PRODUCTION REQUEST TO RURAL TELEPHONE FEBRUARY 8, 2006 Request No. 12: Please describe the Company s application process. Are all applicants required to complete a written application for service? Please provide a copy ofthe Company written application for service, Request No. 13: Under what circumstances is a commercial credit screen used? What type of credit screen is used? Request No. 14: In May of2005, the Commission was made aware that Rural was removing some of its customer s off-premise extensions. The Company was advised by Commission Staff to update its tariff to reflect this change in policy. When does the Company intend to file revised tariffs? Request No. 15: If a customer wants to have no long distance carrier, how does the Company accommodate that request? Request No. 16: What interexchange carriers provide 1+ dial service in the Company Idaho service territory? Request No. 17: Please describe how the Company determines the appropriate service classification for customers. What is the policy on changing service when a customer who is receiving residential service but telephone service is used to conduct of business? What type notice is supplied to the customer prior to changing service classification? Request No. 18: What type of activity does Rural consider to be a business trade or activity? Request No. 19: Please provide a list of Atlanta customers, identifying the telephone number(s) and current service class designation for each customer. Request No. 20: Under what circumstances does the Company ask customers for deposits? How is the deposit amount calculated? How does the Company monitor customer accounts to determine when a deposit should be refunded? How is interest calculated on deposits? Request No. 21: How does the Company receive reports of outage or other repair problems during regular office hours. How does the Company receive reports of outage or other repair problems outside of normal business hours, including weekends and holidays. Request No. 22: Please describe the Company s protocol for responding to outages. Does the Company follow a different protocol for responding to outages in Atlanta? If so, please describe, Request No. 23: Does the Company encourage customers in Atlanta to report outages bye-mail? Please describe the protocol for receiving and responding to e-mails regarding outages. FIRST PRODUCTION REQUEST TO RURAL TELEPHONE FEBRUARY 8 2006 Request No. 24: How many employees does the Company have that respond to outages and other repair problems affecting its Idaho customers? Do these employees also respond to out-of-State outages and other repair problems? Do they also work on Rural's long distance facilities, Internet facilities, etc? Please provide the titles and job descriptions for these employees. Request No. 25: What training do the Company s employees receive in regard to responding to outages in Atlanta? Request No. 26: How does the Company assess avalanche danger and road conditions prior to responding to outage reports from customers in Atlanta? Request No. 27: Can Atlanta customers dial 911 to reach emergency services if toll service is out? Request No. 28: If toll service is out, what will a customer receive if they try to place a long distance call (message, busy signal, dead line, etc. Request No. 29: Please provide the precise time period during which customers in Atlanta were out of service in November and December of2005. During this time frame was local service available even though toll service was not? If so, please provide the dates and times local service was available, Request No. 30: In accordance with Rule No. 502 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide the written records of trouble reports filed with the Company by its Idaho customers for the years 2004 and 2005. Request No. 31: In accordance with Rule No. 503 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide the written records of monthly repair service levels for the years 2004 and 2005 for its Idaho service territory. Request No. 32: Please describe how facilities are configured at the microwave stations located at James Creek and Trinity. What is the life expectancy of the batteries used at the microwave stations under both optimal conditions and non-optimal conditions? Request No. 33: Please provide the Company s maintenance and testing schedule for the facilities serving Atlanta. Request No. 34: Has the Company determined the feasibility of installing a backup energy source for the microwave stations? Request No. 35: In accordance with Rule No. 104 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide a deposit request form, FIRST PRODUCTION REQUEST TO RURAL TELEPHONE FEBRUARY 8, 2006 Request No. 36: In accordance with Rule No. 109 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide a deposit receipt. Request No. 37: In accordance with Rule No, 201 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide sample bills (one current & one past due). Request No. 38: In accordance with Rule No. 206 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide a notice of transfer of bills. Request No. 39: In accordance with Rule No. 207 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide sample bills for other services (one current & one past due). Request No. 40: In accordance with Rule No. 301 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide a notice of denial. Request No. 41: In accordance with Rule No, 304 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide a termination notice, Request No. 42: In accordance with Rule No, 307 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide records of oral notices to terminate local exchange service. Request No. 43: In accordance with Rule No. 308 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide the Company s medical emergency form. Request No. 44: In accordance with Rule No. 403 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide the written records of complaints filed with the Company for the years 2004 and 2005. Request No. 45: In accordance with Rule No. 601 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide a directory (copies of appropriate section(s) giving required information in each directory furnished to local exchange customers in Idaho). Request No. 46: In accordance with Rule No, 602 of the Telephone Customer Relations Rules (TCRR), please provide a copy of the summary ofPUC Rules (Sample of summaries provided to customers annually & upon initiation of service and specify how the information is provided, e.g" separate mailing/included in monthly bill/included in telephone directory). Request No. 47: In accordance with Rule No. 101 of the Telephone Customer Information Rules (TCIR), please provide a copy of the explanation of rate schedules (samples of explanation provided to customers annually & upon initiation of service and specify how the information is provided, e,g" separate mailing/included in monthly bill/included in telephone directory) . FIRST PRODUCTION REQUEST TO RURAL TELEPHONE FEBRUARY 8, 2006 Request No. 48: In accordance with Rule No. 105 of the Telephone Customer Information Rules (TCIR), please provide a copy of the notice regarding telephone solicitations. Dated at Boise, Idaho, this l5 day of February 2006. r2- Weldon B. Stutzman Deputy Attorney General Technical Staff: Daniel Klein i :umisc/prodreq/rurtO6.1 wsdk 1 FIRST PRODUCTION REQUEST TO RURAL TELEPHONE FEBRUARY 8, 2006 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I HAVE THIS 8TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2006 SERVED THE FOREGOING FIRST PRODUCTION REQUEST OF THE COMMISSION STAFF TO RURAL TELEPHONE COMPANY, IN CASE NO, RUR-06-, BY MAILING A COpy THEREOF, POSTAGE PREPAID, TO THE FOLLOWING: MARK MARTELL OFFICE MANAGER RURAL TELEPHONE COMPANY 892 W MADISON AVE GLENNS FERRY ID 83623 MERLIN & JUDITH LORDS PO BOX 37 ATLANTA ID 83601 '- In f SECRETARY CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE