DE 98-166
DE 98-167
DE 98-183
Union Telephone Company,
Dunbarton Telephone Company,
Granite State Telephone Company
Consideration of 2-Way Extended Area Service
Order Approving Home and Contiguous 2-Way Extended Area Service
O R D E R N O. 23,121
January 27, 1999
In Docket No. DE 97-180, Order No. 22,861 (March 9,
1998), the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission found that,
in addition to implementing home and contiguous 2-way EAS
(Extended Area Service, sometimes referred to as the local
calling area) within the Bell Atlantic territory, the public good
might be served by implementing the same EAS state-wide. In that
Order, we enunciated our belief that "as the era of
telecommunications competition further unfolds and choices
proliferate, New Hampshire customers will benefit from clear,
easily understood, reasonably equitable EAS." Furthermore, we
stated that "(C)onsistent with the objectives we expressed in DRM
994-001, Order No. 22,107, uniform equitable EAS is in the public
good where it can be achieved (1) without increasing monthly
rates for customers who receive no benefit from the EAS change
and (2) without hindering the federally mandated objective of a
competitive telecommunications market." We therefore required
independent local exchange carriers to meet with Commission
Staff, and the OCA to discuss the appropriate rate changes
necessary, if any, to implement 2-Way home and contiguous EAS,
and noted that an additional hearing would be held to review the
proposed rate impacts. These dockets are the direct result of
that order.
By Orders of Notice issued by on November 19, 1998,
members of the public were invited to comment at a public hearing
on the proposed expansion of EAS and the cost of implementing the
proposed expansion in each of the service territories of Union
Telephone Company (Union), Dunbarton Telephone Company
(Dunbarton), and Granite State Telephone Company (Granite State).
The Orders of Notice required each company to file proposed
tariff pages reflecting the rates necessary for implementing home
and contiguous 2-way EAS and scheduled the public hearing for the
evening of December 9, 1998.
Home and contiguous 2-Way EAS would permit customers to
make calls within their home exchange and every other exchange
that is contiguous to the home exchange without incurring toll
charges. Any non-contiguous exchange which was formerly included
in the local calling area would remain in the local calling area.
According to the proposed tariff pages filed, the costs of
implementing the proposed EAS expansions for Union, Dunbarton and
Granite State result in basic rate increases per month, as
follows:
Union residential rates: $ 2.00
Union business rates:
Alton 14.12
Gilmanton 7.70
N. Durham 13.16
Dunbarton residential rates: 2.00
Dunbarton business rates 10.26
Granite State residential rates
Weare 2.00
Chester 1.00
Washington 2.00
Hillsboro Village 2.00
Granite State business rates
Weare 3.00
Chester 2.00
Washington 3.00
Hillsboro Village 3.00
At the duly noticed public hearing on December 9, 1998,
no opposition to any of the proposed expansions to EAS was
expressed. The Commission Staff and the three companies support
the proposed expansion. One member of the public, who was in
favor of the proposed expansion, expressed a wish to add other,
non-contiguous, exchanges to the local calling area of Dunbarton.
Any additional expansion, however, would have to be filed as a
petition pursuant to the Commission rules for EAS expansion,
N.H.Admin. Rules Puc 410 (adopted June 22, 1998), and would be
the subject of a different docket.
In light of the recommendations of Staff, the three
companies, and members of the public, we find the proposed
expansion to implement home and contiguous 2-way EAS for Union,
Dunbarton, and Granite State is in the public good.
Based upon the foregoing, it is hereby
ORDERED, that home and contiguous 2-Way EAS shall be
implemented in the Union Telephone Company territory and that the
rates contained in the draft tariff pages filed on December 4,
1998 are hereby Approved, effective on or after March 24, 1999;
and it is
FURTHER ORDERED, that home and contiguous 2-Way EAS
shall be implemented in the Dunbarton Telephone Company territory
and that the rates contained in the draft tariff pages filed on
December 4, 1998, are hereby Approved, effective on or after
March 24, 1999; and it is
FURTHER ORDERED, that home and contiguous 2-Way EAS
shall be implemented in the Granite State Telephone Company
territory and that the rates contained in the draft tariff pages
filed on December 4, 1998, are hereby Approved, effective on or
after March 24, 19999; and it is
FURTHER ORDERED, that each company shall file tariff
pages in compliance with this order on or before 15 days from the
date of this order.
By order of the Public Utilities Commission of New
Hampshire this twenty-seventh day of January, 1999.
Douglas L. Patch Susan S. Geiger Nancy Brockway
Chairman Commissioner Commissioner
Attested by:
Claire D. DiCicco
Assistant Secretary