HomeMy WebLinkAbout20080421_2224.pdfDECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:COMMISSIONER REDFORD
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER KEMPTON
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF
FROM:KRISTINE A. SASSER
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
DATE:APRIL 18, 2008
SUBJECT:PETITION OF QWEST CORPORATION FOR EXEMPTION FROM
CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF RULE 201 , IDAPA 31.41.01.201; CASE NO.
QWE- T -08-
On April 2, 2008 , Qwest Corporation filed a request with the Commission, pursuant
to IDAP A 31.41.01.009, seeking a permanent exemption from certain provisions of the
Commission s Telephone Customer Relations Rule 201 IDAPA 31.41.01.201 , regarding
issuance and content of bills for residential and small business customers. More specifically,
Qwest wishes to offer its customers a "Summary Statement" in lieu of the detailed information
contained in the Company s current bill.
THE PETITION
The Company maintains in its Petition that the Summary Statement option was
created in response to customer demand for simplified billing. In order to receive a Summary
Statement, a customer must affirmatively select the change to their billing statement. Customers
who do not affirmatively request a Summary Statement will continue to receive the standard bill
which complies with the detailed requirements set forth in Rule 201 , IDAP A 31.41.01.201.
The Petition asserts that customers who choose to receive a Summary Statement may
switch back to standard billing at any time, without charge or penalty. In addition, customers
who have chosen a Summary Statement may still review the standard detailed billing
information for their account on the Company s web site at any time.
The Company states in its Petition that the Summary Statement provides the most
important billing information that customers are looking for, i., billing date, due date, total
DECISION MEMORANDUM
amount due, past due amounts (if any), payments received since the prior billing, billing totals
for each class of service, summary of information about taxes and surcharges, and information
about service provided by third parties, including contact information for questions regarding
third party billing.
The Petition maintains that the Company s objective is to provide customers with
more options and to respond to customer demand for simplified billing information. The
Company argues that strict adherence to the detailed requirements of Rule 201 would prohibit
Qwest from making an option available to customers that would reduce the volume and
complexity of their bills, thereby working a hardship on the Company and its customers. See
IDAPA 31.41.01.009.
The Company requests that its Petition be processed through Modified Procedure and
expeditiously granted.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Petition is appropriate to be processed through Modified
Procedure.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to process Qwest's Petition for exemption from certain
provisions of Rule 201 via Modified Procedure?
4~-h~o, (1. ~2
Kristine A. Sasser
Deputy Attorney General
M:QWE-O8-
DECISION MEMORANDUM