2. Procedural History

In D.06-08-030, which concluded Phase I of this Rulemaking (the Phase I decision), we granted carriers broad pricing freedoms concerning almost all telecommunications services, new telecommunications products, bundles of services, promotion, and contracts.⁴ We made contracts effective when executed, and, with few restrictions, permitted carriers to add services to "bundles" and target services to specific geographic markets.

In D.07-09-018, we consolidated this proceeding with Rulemaking (R.) 98-07-038 in order to address some of the remaining issues in Phase II of this proceeding; in that decision, we adopted procedures for advice letter filings under the Uniform Regulatory Framework and procedures to detariff services. In D.08-04-057, we approved with modification two advice letters filed by AT&T pursuant to the provisions of the Phase I decision.

Our earlier decisions left the following issues for resolution in the final phase of this proceeding:

(a) Elimination of Commission-specific reports and their replacement by Automatic Reporting Management Information System (ARMIS) reports, other reports filed by carriers with the Federal Communications Commission, or new Commission-specific reports that can meet a cost-benefit test;

(b) Prices, terms and conditions that apply to retail special access service; and

(c) Determining whether there is any continuing need for customer disclosure rules in addition to the customer disclosure rules adopted in D.06-06-013.⁵

⁴ We froze rates for basic service subsidized by CHCF-B subsidies, pending further review in R.06-06-028 and found that price caps for basic residential service not subsidized by CHCF-B shall be lifted on January 1, 2009. In D.07-09-020, we permitted an increase in the basic primary residential service rate for Verizon and AT&T, equivalent to the consumer price index rate of inflation, beginning January 1, 2008.

⁵ Assigned Commissioner's Ruling and Revised Scoping Memo (December 21, 2006) pp. 3-5. Other issues identified in this scoping memo have been addressed with in the prior decisions cited above.