X. Conclusion
We conclude that the application conforms to our rules for certification as a CLC. Accordingly, we shall grant Applicant a CPCN to resell local exchange service in Pacific, Verizon, RTC and CTC's service territories of subject to compliance with the terms and conditions set forth herein.
1. A notice of the filing of the application appeared in the Daily Calendar on January 24, 2002.
2. There were no protests to this application.
3. A hearing is not required.
4. In prior decisions, the Commission authorized competition in providing local exchange telecommunications services within the service territories of Pacific, Verizon, RTC and CTC.
5. Applicant has a minimum of $25,000 of cash or cash equivalent that is reasonably liquid and readily available to meet its start-up expenses.
6. Applicant has sufficient additional cash or cash equivalent to cover any deposits that may be required by other telecommunications carriers in order to provide the proposed service.
7. Applicant's management possesses sufficient experience and knowledge to provide local exchange services to the public.
8. As part of its application, Applicant submitted a draft of its initial tariff that contained the deficiencies identified in Attachment A to this decision. Except for these deficiencies, Applicant's draft tariffs complied with the Commission's requirements.
9. Applicant does not propose to construct any facilities in order to provide the proposed service.
10. Public disclosure of the financial information filed under seal would place Applicant at an unfair business disadvantage.
1. Applicant has the financial ability to provide the proposed service.
2. Applicant has made a reasonable showing of technical expertise in, or related to, telecommunications.
3. Public convenience and necessity require the competitive local exchange services to be offered by Applicant, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.
4. The application should be granted to the extent set forth below.
5. Applicant, once granted a CPCN, should be subject to the applicable Commission rules, decisions, General Orders and statutes that pertain to California public utilities.
6. Since Applicant does not propose to construct any facilities, it can be seen with certainty that granting it authority to provide local exchange services will not have a significant adverse effect upon the environment.
7. Because of the public interest in competitive local exchange services, the following order should be effective immediately.
8. Applicant's request to file its financial information under seal should be granted for two years.
IT IS ORDERED that:
1. A certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) is granted to VCOM Solutions, Inc. (Applicant) to resell local exchange services in the service territories of Pacific Bell Telephone Company, Verizon California Inc., Roseville Telephone Company, and Citizens Telecommunications Company of California, Inc., subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.
2. Applicant is authorized to file tariff schedules for the provision of competitive local exchange services. Applicant may not offer competitive local exchange services until tariffs are on file. Applicant's initial filing shall be made in accordance with General Order (GO) 96-A, excluding Sections IV, V, and VI, and shall correct the deficiencies noted in Attachment A. The tariff shall be effective not less than one day after approval by the Commission's Telecommunications Division. Applicant shall comply with its tariffs.
3. The certificate granted and the authority to render service under the rates, charges, and rules authorized herein will expire if not exercised within 12 months after the effective date of this order.
4. The corporate identification number assigned to Applicant, U-6601-C, shall be included in the caption of all original filings with this Commission, and in the titles of other pleadings filed in existing cases.
5. Applicant shall comply with all applicable rules adopted in the Local Exchange Competition proceeding (Rulemaking 95-04-043/Investigation 95-04-044), as well as all other applicable Commission rules, decisions, GOs and statutes that pertain to California public utilities, subject to the exemptions granted in this decision.
6. Applicant shall comply with the requirements applicable to competitive local exchange carriers included in Attachment B to this decision.
7. Applicant is not authorized to construct facilities.
8. Applicant's request to have the financial information filed with this application kept under seal is granted for two years from the effective date of this decision. During that period the information shall not be made accessible or disclosed to anyone other than the Commission staff except on the further order or ruling of the Commission, the Assigned Commissioner, the assigned Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), or the ALJ then designated as Law and Motion Judge.
9. If Applicant believes that further protection of the information kept under seal is needed, it may file a motion stating the justification for further withholding of the information from public inspection, or for such other relief as the Commission rules may then provide. This motion shall be filed no later than one month before the expiration date.
10. This proceeding is closed.
This order is effective today.
Dated , at San Francisco, California.
ATTACHMENT A
List of deficiencies in tariffs filed by VCOM Solutions, Inc. in A.02-01-027 to be corrected in its tariff compliance filing.
1. Sheet 24, Rule 11: If the CLC is a Carrier of Last Resort, then say that Basic Service will not be disconnected for non-payment of anything other than residential and single line business, Flat Rate and/or Measured Rate Service as defined in D. 96-10-066, Appendix B, page 5. Refer to D.00-03-020.
2. Sheet 47: Include the fees and surcharges show in Attachment B to this decision.
3. Sheet 52: Include the following Income Limitation for ULTS:
Household Size |
Income Limitation |
1-2 |
$18,000 |
3 |
22,200 |
4 |
26,700 |
Each additional member |
4,500 |
(END OF ATTACHMENT A)
ATTACHMENT B
REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO COMPETITIVE LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIERS
1. Applicant shall file a written acceptance of the certificate granted in this proceeding.
2. Applicant is subject to:
a. The current 1.45% surcharge applicable to all intrastate services except for those excluded by D.94-09-065, as modified by D.95-02-050, to fund the Universal Lifeline Telephone Service Trust Administrative Committee Fund (Pub. Util. Code § 879; Resolution T-16594, October 10, 2001);
b. The current 0.481% surcharge applicable to all intrastate services except for those excluded by D.94-09-065, as modified by D.95-02-050, to fund the California Relay Service and Communications Devices Fund (Pub. Util. Code § 2881; D.98-12-073 and Resolution T-16504, March 27, 2001);
c. The user fee provided in Pub. Util. Code §§ 431-435, which is 0.11% of gross intrastate revenue for the 2000-2001 fiscal year (Resolution M-4800);
d. The current surcharge applicable to all intrastate services except for those excluded by D.94-09-065, as modified by D.95-02-050, to fund the California High Cost Fund-A (Pub. Util. Code § 739.3; D.96-10-066, pp. 3-4, App. B, Rule 1.C; set by Resolution T-16521 at 0.200%, June 14, 2001; set by Resolution T-16589 at 0.300% effective January 1, 2002, October 10, 2001);
e. The current 1.47% surcharge applicable to all intrastate services except for those excluded by D.94-09-065, as modified by D.95-02-050, to fund the California High Cost Fund-B (D.96-10-066, p. 191, App. B, Rule 6.F., Resolution T-16585, October 10, 2001); and
f. The current 0.300% surcharge applicable to all intrastate services except for those excluded by D.94-09-065, as modified by D.95-02-050, to fund the California Teleconnect Fund (D.96-10-066, p. 88, App. B, Rule 8.G, Resolution T-16584, October 10, 2001).
3. Applicant is a competitive local exchange carrier (CLC). The effectiveness of its future tariffs is subject to the schedules set forth in Appendix C, Section 4.E of Decision (D.) 95-12-056:
"E. CLCs shall be subject to the following tariff and contract filing, revision and service pricing standards:
"(1) Uniform rate reductions for existing tariff services shall become effective on five (5) working days' notice. Customer notification is not required for rate decreases.
"(2) Uniform major rate increases for existing tariff services shall become effective on thirty (30) days' notice to the Commission, and shall require bill inserts, or first class mail notice to customers at least 30 days in advance of the pending rate increase.
"(3) Uniform minor rate increases, as defined in D.90-11-029, shall become effective on not less than (5) working days' notice to the Commission. Customer notification is not required for such minor rate increases.
"(4) Advice letter filings for new services and for all other types of tariff revisions, except changes in text not affecting rates or relocations of text in the tariff schedules, shall become effective on forty (40) days' notice.
"(5) Advice letter filings revising the text or location of text material which do not result in an increase in any rate or charge shall become effective on not less than five (5) days' notice to the Commission."
"(6) Contracts shall be subject to GO 96-A rules for NDIECS, except interconnection contracts.
"(7) CLCs shall file tariffs in accordance with PU Code § 876."
4. Applicant may deviate from the following provisions of GO 96-A: (a) paragraph II.C.(1)(b), which requires consecutive sheet numbering and prohibits the reuse of sheet numbers; and (b) paragraph II.C.(4), which requires that "a separate sheet or series of sheets should be used for each rule." Tariff filings incorporating these deviations shall be subject to the approval of the Commission's Telecommunications Division. Tariff filings shall reflect all fees and surcharges to which Applicant is subject, as reflected in 2 above.
5. Applicant shall file a service area map as part of its initial tariff.
6. Prior to initiating service, Applicant shall provide the Commission's Consumer Services Division with the name and address of its designated contact person(s) for purposes of resolving consumer complaints. This information shall be updated if the name or telephone number changes, or at least annually.
7. Applicant shall notify this Commission in writing of the date that local exchange service is first rendered to the public, no later than five days after service first begins.
8. Applicant shall keep its books and records in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
9. In the event Applicant's books and records are required for inspection by the Commission or its staff, it shall either produce such records at the Commission's offices or reimburse the Commission for the reasonable costs incurred in having Commission staff travel to its office.
10. Applicant shall file an annual report, in compliance with GO 104-A, on a calendar-year basis with the information contained in Attachment C to this decision.
11. Applicant shall ensure that its employees comply with the provisions of Public Utilities (Pub. Util.) Code § 2889.5 regarding solicitation of customers.
12. Within 60 days of the effective date of this order, Applicant shall comply with Pub. Util. Code § 708, Employee Identification Cards, and notify the Director of the Telecommunications Division in writing of its compliance.
13. If Applicant is 90 days or more late in filing an annual report, or in remitting the surcharges and fee listed in 2 above, the Commission's Telecommunications Division shall prepare for Commission consideration a resolution that revokes Applicant's CPCN unless it has received written permission from the Telecommunications Division to file or remit late.
11. Applicant is exempt from General Order 96-A, subsections III.G(1) and (2), and Commission Rule of Practice and Procedure 18(b).
12. Applicant is exempt from Pub. Util. Code §§ 816-830.
13. Applicant is exempt from the requirements of Pub. Util. Code § 851 for the transfer or encumbrance of property whenever such transfer or encumbrance serves to secure debt.
(END OF ATTACHMENT B)
ANNUAL REPORT
An original and two copies shall be filed with the California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 3251, San Francisco, CA 94102-3298, no later than March 31st of the year following the calendar year for which the annual report is submitted.
Failure to file this information on time may result in a penalty as provided for in §§ 2107 and 2108 of the Public Utilities Code.
Required information:
1. Exact legal name and U # of the reporting utility.
2. Address.
3. Name, title, address, and telephone number of the person to be contacted concerning the reported information.
4. Name and title of the officer having custody of the general books of account and the address of the office where such books are kept.
5. Type of organization (e.g., corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.).
If incorporated, specify:
a. Date of filing articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State.
b. State in which incorporated.
6. Number and date of the Commission decision granting the CPCN.
7. Date operations were begun.
8. Description of other business activities in which the utility is engaged.
9. List of all affiliated companies and their relationship to the utility. State if affiliate is a:
a. Regulated public utility.
b. Publicly held corporation.
10. Balance sheet as of December 31st of the year for which information is submitted.
11. Income statement for California operations for the calendar year for which information is submitted.
For answers to any questions concerning this report, call (415) 703-1961.
(END OF ATTACHMENT C)
