15. Assignment of Proceeding
Rachelle B. Chong is the assigned Commissioner and Bertram D. Patrick is the assigned Administrative Law Judge in this proceeding.
1. Notice of the application appeared on the Daily Calendar on March 11, 2008.
2. A protest was filed by CPSD on April 10, 2008.
3. No hearing is required since there are no disputed material issues of fact.
4. While a voluntary agreement with the EPA was entered into and litigation involving the applicant's parents has occurred, these do not involve a sanction by the FCC or any state regulatory agency for failure to comply with any regulatory statue, rule, or order.
5. In prior decisions, the Commission authorized competition in providing interexchange services for carriers meeting specific criteria.
6. In prior decisions, the Commission authorized competition, by carriers meeting specified criteria, in providing local exchange telecommunications services within the service territories of Pacific, Verizon, SureWest and CTC.
7. Applicant has a minimum of $100,000 of cash or cash equivalent that is reasonably liquid and readily available to meet its start-up expenses.
8. 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.
9. Applicant possesses sufficient experience and knowledge to provide telecommunications services.
10. As part of its application, Applicant submitted a draft of its initial tariff that contained the deficiencies listed in Attachment A to this decision. Except for these deficiencies, Applicant's draft tariff complies with the Commission's requirements.
11. As part of its application, Applicant submitted a proposal based on D.06-04-030 for a procedure for obtaining exemption from CEQA review for full facilities-based construction projects, by which it would provide for both notice of the claimed exemption and for Commission staff review of said claim.
12. Applicant submits that its full facilities-based construction activities are of such a limited nature that they should potentially qualify for a number of categorical exemptions available under CEQA.
13. Applicant's proposed full facilities-based construction activities are of a limited nature and would in almost all circumstances be highly likely to qualify for an exemption from CEQA review.
14. Applicant's proposed process for reviewing the applicability of exemptions from CEQA review for full facilities-based construction projects is adequate for the Commission's purposes as CEQA Lead Agency and in the public interest.
1. Information bearing on an applicant's fitness does not vary as to relevance depending on whether applicant is seeking authority by application for a CPCN or registration.
2. The disclosure omissions of Applicant do not amount to a Rule 1.1 violation in this instance.
3. Applicant has the financial ability to provide the proposed service.
4. Applicant has sufficient technical expertise to operate as a telecommunications carrier.
5. Public convenience and necessity require that Applicant's resold competitive local exchange and interexchange services be subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.
6. Applicant should be authorized to use the procedure set forth in this decision for obtaining Commission exemption from CEQA review for full facilities-based construction projects.
7. The application should be granted to the extent set forth below.
8. Applicant, once granted a CPCN, should be subject to the applicable Commission rules, decisions, General Orders, and statutes that pertain to California's public utilities.
9. Applicant's initial tariff filing should correct the deficiencies noted in its draft tariffs as indicated in Attachment A to this decision.
10. Because of the public interest in competitive local exchange and interexchange services, the following order should be effective immediately.
IT IS ORDERED that:
1. A certificate of public convenience and necessity is granted to ATC Outdoor DAS, LLC (Applicant) to operate as a full facilities-based and resale provider of competitive local exchange services, and interexchange services, subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.
2. Applicant is authorized to provide local exchange service in the service territories of Pacific Bell Telephone Company, Verizon California Inc., SureWest Telephone, and Citizens Telecommunications Company of California, Inc., dba Frontier Communications of California.
3. Applicant is authorized to file tariff schedules for the provision of competitive local exchange services and interexchange services with the deficiencies noted in Attachment A corrected. Applicant may not offer services until tariffs are on file. Applicant's initial filing shall be made in accordance with General Order (GO) 96-B and the Telecommunications Industry Rules (D.07-09-019). Applicant shall comply with its tariffs.
4. The certificate granted, and the authority to render service under the rates, charges and rules authorized, will expire if not exercised within 12 months after the effective date of this order.
5. The corporate identification number assigned to Applicant, U7101C, shall be included in the caption of all original filings with this Commission, and in the titles of other pleadings filed in existing cases.
6. All sealed information shall remain sealed for a period of two years after the effective date of this order. After two years, all such information shall be made public. If Applicant believes that further protection of sealed information is needed beyond two years, Applicant may file a motion stating the justification for further withholding of the sealed information from public inspection. This motion shall be filed no later than 30 days before the expiration of the two-year period granted by this order.
7. Applicant shall comply with all applicable rules adopted in the Local Exchange Competitive proceeding (R.95-04-043/Investigation 95-04-044), the Commission's rules and regulations for nondominant interexchange carriers set forth in Decision (D.) 93-05-010, D.90-08-032, 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.
8. Applicant shall comply with the requirements applicable to competitive local exchange carriers and non-dominant interexchange carriers included in Attachment B to this decision.
9. Applicant is authorized to construct equipment to be installed in existing buildings or structures (limited facilities-based construction) without prior approval from the Commission. For all other future construction projects (full facilities-based construction), Applicant shall use the process set forth in this decision for seeking exemption from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review.
10. The Commission's Energy Division staff is authorized to review, process, and act upon Applicant's request for a determination that its full facilities-based construction activities are exempt from CEQA review and issue a Notice to Proceed (NTP) where appropriate.
11. If Applicant wishes to engage in full facilities-based construction and believes that the proposed activities are exempt from CEQA review, Applicant shall first apply to the Energy Division staff for a determination of exemption from CEQA review.
12. Applicant shall not engage in any full facilities-based construction activity relating to a pending CEQA review exemption request before receiving a NTP from Commission Energy Division staff.
13. If Applicant wishes to engage in a project which involves both limited facilities-based construction and full facilities-based construction, Applicant shall apply to the Energy Division staff for a NTP.
14. Application 08-03-004 is closed.
This order is effective today.
Dated December 18, 2008, at San Francisco, California.
MICHAEL R. PEEVEY
President
DIAN M. GRUENEICH
JOHN A. BOHN
RACHELLE B. CHONG
TIMOTHY ALAN SIMON
Commissioners
ATTACHMENT A
List of deficiencies in draft tariff submitted by ATC Outdoor DAS, LLC,
in A.08-03-004 to be corrected in its initial tariff compliance filing:
1. Tariff Sheet Format: CPUC assigned utility ID number (U#) should be included on each sheet in the upper left header along with Company name and address. (General Order 96B, Section 8.4.1.)
2. Tariff Inspection - Include a telephone number and a company address in California where a copy of tariff can be inspected by the public. (GO 96-B, Section 8.1.3.)
3. User Fee and Public Program Surcharges - include a rule conforming to AT&T tariffs for PUC User Fee and Public Program Surcharges (Resolution T-16901, December 2, 2004).
4. Conform Disputed Bill Rule to be consistent with requirements of Rule 8, Appendix B, D.95-07-054 (i.e., to avoid disconnection, customer may deposit disputed amount with CPUC Consumer Affairs Branch).
(END OF ATTACHMENT A)
ATTACHMENT B
REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO COMPETITIVE LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIERS
1. Applicant shall file, in this docket, a written acceptance of the certificate granted in this proceeding within 30 days of the effective date of this order.
2. Applicant is subject to the following fee and surcharges that must be regularly remitted per the instructions in Appendix E to D.00-10-028. The Combined California PUC Telephone Surcharge Transmittal Form must be submitted even if the amount due is zero.
3. Revenues collected for the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) at the surcharge rate of 0.25% shall be held by the carrier in a memorandum account tracking system and the account will accrue monthly interest on the accumulated balance at the short-term commercial paper rate. Carriers shall continue to hold custody of all the collected CASF surcharge revenues and accumulated interest until the Commission provides further direction on the disposition of these revenues.
a. The current 1.15% 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-17071, dated March 1, 2007, effective April 1, 2007);
b. The current 0.20% 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-17127, dated December 20, 2007, effective January 1, 2008);
c. The user fee provided in Pub. Util. Code §§ 431-435, which is 0.18% of gross intrastate revenue (Resolution M-4819), dated June 7, 2007, effective July 1, 2007;
d. The current 0.13% 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; Resolution T-17128, dated December 20, 2007, effective January 1, 2008);
e. The current 0.25% 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., D.07-12-054);
f. The current 0.25% 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 Advances Services Fund (D.07-12-054); and
g. The current 0.079% 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-17142, dated April 24, 2008, effective June 1, 2008).
Note: These fees change periodically. In compliance with Resolution T-16901, December 2, 2004, you should check the joint tariff for surcharges and fees filed by Pacific Bell Telephone Company and apply the current surcharge and fee amounts in that joint tariff on end-user bills until further revised.
4. Applicant is a competitive local exchange carrier (CLC). The effectiveness of its future tariffs is subject to the requirements of General Order 96-B and the Telecommunications Industry Rules (D.07-09-019).
5. Applicant is a nondominant interexchange carrier (NDIEC). The effectiveness of its future NDIEC tariffs is subject to the requirements of General Order 96-B and the Telecommunications Industry Rules (D.07-09-019).
6. Tariff filings shall reflect all fees and surcharges to which Applicant is subject, as reflected in 2 above.
7. Applicant shall file a service area map as part of its initial tariff.
8. Prior to initiating service, Applicant shall provide the Commission's Consumer Affairs Branch 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.
9. Applicant shall notify the Director of the Communications Division in writing of the date that local exchange service is first rendered to the public, no later than five days after service first begins.
10. Applicant shall notify the Director of the Communications Division in writing of the date interLATA service is first rendered to the public within five days after service begins, and again within five days after intraLATA service begins.9
11. Applicant shall keep its books and records in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
12. 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.
13. Applicant shall file an annual report with the Director of the Communications Division, in compliance with GO 104-A, on a calendar-year basis with the information contained in Attachment C to this decision.
14. Applicant shall file an affiliate transaction report with the Director of the Communications Division, in compliance with D.93-02-019, on a calendar year basis using the form contained in Attachment D.
15. Applicant shall ensure that its employees comply with the provisions of Public Utilities (Pub. Util.) Code § 2889.5 regarding solicitation of customers.
16. 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 Communications Division in writing of its compliance.
17. 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 Communications Division shall prepare for Commission consideration a resolution that revokes Applicant's CPCN unless it has received written permission from the Communications Division to file or remit late.
18. Applicant is exempt from Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure 3.1(b).
19. Applicant is exempt from Pub. Util. Code §§ 816-830.
20. 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.
21. If Applicant decides to discontinue service or file for bankruptcy, it shall immediately notify the Communications Division's Bankruptcy Coordinator.
22. Applicant shall send a copy of this decision to concerned local permitting agencies not later than 30 days from the date of this order.
(END OF ATTACHMENT B)
ATTACHMENT C
ANNUAL REPORT
An original and a machine readable, copy using Microsoft Word or compatible format shall be filed with the California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 3107, 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 Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.
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) 703-2883.
(END OF ATTACHMENT C)
ATTACHMENT D
CALENDAR YEAR AFFILIATE TRANSACTION REPORT
1. Each utility shall list and provide the following information for each affiliated entity and regulated subsidiary that the utility had during the period covered by the annual Affiliate Transaction report.
· Form of organization (e.g., corporation, partnership, joint venture, strategic alliance, etc.);
· Brief description of business activities engaged in;
· Relationship to the utility (e.g., controlling corporation, subsidiary, regulated subsidiary, affiliate);
· Ownership of the utility (including type and percent ownership)
· Voting rights held by the utility and percent; and
· Corporate officers.
2. The utility shall prepare and submit a corporate organization chart showing any and all corporate relationships between the utility and its affiliated entities and regulated subsidiaries in #1 above. The chart should have the controlling corporation (if any) at the top of the chart; the utility and any subsidiaries and/or affiliates of the controlling corporation in the middle levels of the chart and all secondary subsidiaries and affiliates (e.g., a subsidiary that in turn is owned by another subsidiary and/or affiliate) in the lower levels. Any regulated subsidiary should be clearly noted.
3. For a utility that has individuals who are classified as "controlling corporations" of the competitive utility, the utility must only report under the requirements of #1 and #2 above any affiliated entity that either (a) is a public utility or (b) transacts any business with the utility filing the annual report excluding the provision of tariff services.
4. Each annual report must be signed by a corporate officer of the utility stating under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California
(CCP 2015.5) that the annual report is complete and accurate with no material omissions.
5. Any required material that a utility is unable to provide must be reasonably described and the reasons the data cannot be obtained, as well as the efforts expended to obtain the information, must be set forth in the utility's annual Affiliate Transaction Report and verified in accordance with Section I-F of Decision 93-02-019.
6. Utilities that do no have affiliated entities must file, in lieu of the annual transaction report, an annual statement to the Commission stating that the utility had no affiliated entities during the report period. This statement must be signed by a corporate officer of the utility, stating under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California (CCP 2015.5) that the annual report is complete and accurate with no material omissions.
(END OF ATTACHMENT D)
9 California is divided into ten Local Access and Transport Areas (LATAs), each containing numerous local telephone exchanges. InterLATA describes services, revenues and functions relating to telecommunications originating within one LATA and terminating in another LATA. IntraLATA describes services, revenues and functions relating to telecommunications originating within a single LATA.
