20000118Notice of Workshop - Order No 28262.pdf

NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
ORDER NO. 28262 -1-

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
January 18, 2000
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE INVESTIGATION
AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RULES FOR THE
IDAHO NON-RURAL UNIVERSAL SERVICE
FUND PURSUANT TO IDAHO CODE §
62-610A-F.
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CASE NO. GNR-U-00-1

NOTICE OF PUBLIC
WORKSHOP

ORDER NO. 28262

On its own Motion, the Commission initiates this proceeding to examine what rules are
necessary to implement an Idaho Non-Rural Universal Service Fund established pursuant to
Idaho Code § 62-610A-F.
BACKGROUND
The 1998 Legislature amended Idaho Code Title 62 to create a new Universal Service
Fund (USF). See Idaho Code '' 62-610A through F. Idaho Code §§ 62-610A-F require the
Commission to “establish a competitively and technologically neutral funding mechanism which
will operate in coordination with federal universal service support mechanisms.” Initially, this new
fund will only be available to non-rural local exchange carriers1 that meet the statutory criteria.
Idaho Code § 62-610B also makes clear that all telecommunications providers, including
“municipal, cooperative or mutual telephone companies and telecommunications companies
providing wireless, cellular, personal communications services and mobile radio services for
compensation” may be eligible for the new Non-Rural USF support and all their customers will pay
a surcharge to fund the new USF.
This new USF differs considerably from the existing Idaho USF that currently provides
high cost support to rural incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs). See Idaho Code ' 62-610.
Distributions from the present Idaho USF are generally calculated to meet residual revenue
requirements for fully regulated Title 61 rural ILECs whose residential and small business rates are
125% of the weighted statewide average rates. The rural Idaho USF may be phased out sometime
after January 1, 2001. Idaho Code ' 62-610F(4).

1 Any application of this new fund to rural LECs to replace funding available pursuant to Idaho Code § 62-610 cannot
begin earlier than January 1, 2001.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
ORDER NO. 28262 -2-

The new USF statute requires that disbursements from the new fund be used to defray
costs, as determined by the Commission, for providing “universal service” to customers within a
geographic support area. In calculating and determining those costs, the Commission must use a
“forward-looking cost methodology.” Idaho Code § 62-610F(2). Therefore, on December 19, 1997,
the Commission opened a docket to analyze cost models and adopt a forward-looking cost model as
required by Idaho Code § 62-610F. (Case No. GNR-T-97-22). That docket is still open and further
evidentiary proceedings are pending.
In response to the Legislature’s statutory directive, the Commission has taken several
other steps toward establishing and implementing this new Idaho Non-Rural Universal Service Fund
(Idaho Non-Rural USF).
In order to be eligible to receive this new Idaho Non-Rural USF support, local exchange
carriers (LECs) must offer to provide “universal service” throughout the service area for which the
designation is received. Idaho Code ' 62-610B(1). The Commission must designate both the
services (“universal service”) that must be offered and the geographic area (“service area”) in which
they must be offered. See Idaho Code §§ 62-610B-E.
Therefore, on July 16, 1998, the Commission opened two other dockets (GNR-T-98-7
and GNR-T-98-8). GNR-T-98-7 was opened to consider what telecommunications services
constitute those services that must be made available to Idaho consumers by eligible
telecommunications carriers to meet their obligation to provide universal service and receive Idaho
Non-Rural USF support. The Commission designated those “universal services” September 8, 1998.
Order No. 27715. The Commission has not issued any decision in GNR-T-98-8, because the
appropriateness of the service area may be affected by the cost model chosen.
In January 2000, the Commission initiated GNR-T-00-2 to establish and implement the
new Idaho Non-Rural USF, adopted a schedule for evidentiary proceedings and consolidated it with
GNR-T-97-22.
The purpose for this negotiated rulemaking is to determine what rules are necessary to
implement the new Idaho Non-Rural USF.
In anticipation of the public workshop scheduled below, any person may file comments
with the Commission by March 14, 2000, indicating what areas should be covered by administrative
rules. Persons filing comments need only file those comments with the Commission and the
Commission will post all comments on its webpage for the public.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
ORDER NO. 28262 -3-

NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Commission will convene an informal public
workshop to examine what rules are necessary to implement the new Idaho Non-Rural USF. The
workshop will commence at 9:30 A.M. ON TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2000, IN THE COMMIS-
SION=S HEARING ROOM, 472 WEST WASHINGTON STREET, BOISE, IDAHO, (208)
334-0300. The workshop will provide an opportunity for utilities, the Commission Staff, and others
to explore what rules are necessary to implement the new Idaho Non-Rural USF. All utilities and
interested persons are encouraged to attend and participate in the public workshop scheduled in the
body of this Order.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission encourages utilities and other
interested members to participate in the public workshop scheduled in the body of this Order.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to continue to participate in this
case for the purpose of receiving comments, testimony or any other documents filed by other persons
or Commission Orders or further notices issued by the Commission in this case, must notify the
Commission Secretary in writing that they desire to be placed on a service list to receive comments,
Orders, and Notices in this proceeding. Persons desiring to participate in this case and remain
on the service list must notify the Commission Secretary no later than fourteen (14) days from
the service date of this Order. The Commission Secretary shall then publish a Notice of Parties.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all hearings and prehearing conferences in this
matter will be held in facilities meeting the accessibility requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act. Persons needing the help of a sign language interpreter or other assistance of the
kind that the Commission is obligated to provide under the Americans with Disabilities Act in order
to participate in or to understand the testimony and argument at a public hearing may ask the
Commission to provide a sign language interpreter or other assistance at the hearing. The request for
assistance must be received at least five (5) working days before the hearing by contacting the
Commission Secretary at:
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone] (TELEPHONE)
[phone] (TEXT TELEPHONE)
[phone] (FAX)

O R D E R

NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
ORDER NO. 28262 -4-

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that any person may file comments with the Commission by
March 14, 2000, indicating what areas should be covered by the administrative rules. Persons filing
comments need only file those comments with the Commission. The Commission will post all
comments on its webpage for the public
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a public workshop be convened as set out in the body
of this Order to determine what rules are necessary to implement the new Idaho Non-Rural USF.
Utilities and other interested persons are encouraged to attend.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this
day of January 2000.

DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

PAUL KJELLANDER, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary

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