IX. Conclusion
We conclude that the application conforms to our rules for authority to provide competitive local exchange and interexchange telecommunications services. Accordingly, we shall approve the application subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.
1. Notice of the application appeared in the Daily Calendar on May 29, 2002.
2. No protests have been filed.
3. A hearing is not required.
4. In prior decisions, the Commission authorized competition in providing interexchange services for carriers meeting specified criteria.
5. 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, RTC and CTC.
6. 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.
7. Applicant will not be required to provide deposits to other telecommunications carriers in order to provide the proposed service.
8. Applicant possesses sufficient experience and knowledge to provide telecommunications services.
9. 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 those deficiencies, its draft tariffs complied with the Commission's requirements.
10. Applicant will not be constructing facilities, other than equipment to be installed in existing buildings or structures.
1. Applicant has the financial ability to provide the proposed service.
2. Applicant has sufficient technical expertise to operate as a telecommunications carrier.
3. Public convenience and necessity require that Applicant's competitive local exchange and interexchange services be subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.
4. Since Applicant will not be constructing any facilities, other than equipment to be installed in existing buildings or structures, it can be seen with certainty that there will be no significant effect on the environment.
5. The application should be granted to the extent set forth below.
6. Applicant, once granted a CPCN, should be subject to the applicable Commission rules, decisions, General Orders and statutes that pertain to California public utilities.
7. Applicant's initial tariff filing should correct the deficiencies noted in its draft tariffs as indicated in Attachment A to this decision.
8. Because of the public interest in competitive local exchange services, the following order should be effective immediately.
IT IS ORDERED that:
1. A certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) is granted to CallTower, Inc. (Applicant) to operate as a limited 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., Roseville Telephone Company, and Citizens Telecommunications Company of California, Inc.
3. Applicant is authorized to file tariff schedules for the provision of competitive local exchange 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-A, excluding Sections IV, V, and VI. The tariff shall be effective not less than one day after tariff approval by the Commission's Telecommunications Division. Applicant shall comply with its tariffs.
4. 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.
5. The corporate identification number assigned to Applicant, U-6704-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.
6. 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.
7. Applicant shall comply with the requirements applicable to competitive local exchange carriers and non-dominant interexchange carriers included in Attachment B to this decision.
8. Applicant is not authorized to construct facilities, other than equipment to be installed in existing buildings or structures.
9. This application is closed.
This order is effective today.
Dated September 5, 2002, at San Francisco, California.
LORETTA M. LYNCH
President
CARL W. WOOD
GEOFFREY F. BROWN
MICHAEL R. PEEVEY
Commissioners
Commissioner Henry M. Duque, being necessarily absent, did not participate.
ATTACHMENT A
Page 1
List of deficiencies in tariffs filed by CallTower, Inc. in A.02-05-044 to be corrected in its tariff compliance filing.
1. On the top right-hand corner of every tariff sheet, add the words "Cal. P.U.C." between the words "Original" and "Sheet."
2. Sheet 5: Include the actual service area map.
3. Sheet 10, Rule 3: Incomplete rule on Application of Service. Include Rule 2 of Appendix B of D.95-07-054.
4. Sheet 13, Rule 6: Incomplete rule on Establishment and Reestablishment of Credit. Include Rule 4 of Appendix B of D.95-07-054.
5. Sheet 14, Rule 7A: Say that advance payments cannot be required for usage.
6. Sheet 14, Rule 7B(3): Say that in the event a customer requests services in addition to basic service, the average bill will reflect the aggregate services requested by the customers. Refer to Rule 5 of Appendix B of D.95-07-054.
7. Sheet 17, Rule 9C: Say that the late payment date will be prominently displayed in the customer's bill. Refer to Rule 9 of Appendix B of D.95-07-054.
8. Sheet 20, Rule 10: Include Rule 8E and 8G from Appendix B of D.95-07-054.
9. Sheet 21, Rule 11: If the CLC is a carrier of last resort, 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.
10. Sheet 28, Rule 16: Remove Rule 16(4.), 16(12.), 16(13.), 16(14.), 16(18.), 16(20.), and 16(21). The CLC must concur with Pacific or Verizon's Limitation of Liability tariffs. Refer to D.95-120-057.
11. Include rules on how telephone directories will be provided to customers.
12. Remove the Los Angeles Consumer Affairs Branch address found on pages 19, 20, and 47.
ATTACHMENT A
Page 2
13. Schedule 2-T, Sheet 38: Include the following Income Limitation and Establishment charge for ULTS:
Household Size Income Limitation
1-2 $19,300
3 22,800
4 27,400
Each additional member 4,600
Establishment $ 10.00
14. Schedule 2-T, Sheet 41: Include the fees and surcharges shown in Attachment B to this decision.
15. Schedule 2-T, Sheet 42: Include sample forms.
(END OF ATTACHMENT A)
ATTACHMENT B
Page 1
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 (Resolution M-4804);
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-16550 at 0.360%, October 25, 2001);
ATTACHMENT B
Page 2
e. The current 1.42% 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-16554, October 25, 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.
ATTACHMENT B
Page 3
"(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 is a nondominant interexchange carrier (NDIEC). The effectiveness of its future NDIEC tariffs is subject to the schedules set forth in Ordering Paragraph 5 of D.90-08-032 (37 CPUC2d 130 at 158), as modified by D.91-12-013 (42 CPUC2d 220 at 231) and D.92-06-034 (44 CPUC2d 617 at 618):
"5. All NDIECs are hereby placed on notice that their California tariff filings will be processed in accordance with the following effectiveness schedule:
"a. Inclusion of FCC-approved rates for interstate services in California public utilities tariff schedules shall become effective on one (1) day's notice.
"b. Uniform rate reductions for existing services shall become effective on five (5) days' notice.
"c. Uniform rate increases, except for minor rate increases, for existing services shall become effective on thirty (30) days' notice, and shall require bill inserts, a message on the bill itself, or first class mail notice to customers of the pending increased rates.
ATTACHMENT B
Page 4
"d. Uniform minor rate increases, as defined in D.90-11-029, for existing services shall become effective on not less than five (5) working days' notice. Customer notification is not required for such minor rate increases. "
"e. 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.
"f. Advice letter filings merely revising the text or location of text material which do not cause an increase in any rate or charge shall become effective on not less than five (5) days' notice."
5. 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.
6. Applicant shall file a service area map as part of its initial tariff.
7. 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.
8. 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.
ATTACHMENT B
Page 5
9. Applicant shall notify this Commission 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.3
10. Applicant shall keep its books and records in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. Applicant shall ensure that its employees comply with the provisions of Public Utilities (Pub. Util.) Code § 2889.5 regarding solicitation of customers.
14. 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.
ATTACHMENT B
Page 6
15. 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.
16. Applicant is exempt from General Order 96-A, subsections III.G(1) and (2), and Commission Rule of Practice and Procedure 18(b).
17. Applicant is exempt from Pub. Util. Code §§ 816-830.
18. 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.
19. 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
Page 1
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 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. The number and date of the Commission decision granting the Utility's CPCN.
7. Date operations were begun.
8. Description of other business activities in which the utility is engaged.
ATTACHMENT C
Page 2
9. A list of all affiliated companies and their relationship to the utility. State if affiliate is:
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)
3 California is divided into 10 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.
