Public Notice No. 10338

PUBLIC NOTICE SETTING PUBLIC HEARING

Posted

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE SETTING PUBLIC HEARING

Pursuant to the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act and the Wyoming Public Service Commission’s (Commission) Rules, notice is hereby given that a public hearing has been scheduled regarding the Commission’s investigations of the quality and reliability of telecommunications service provided by Qwest Corporation now d/b/a CenturyLink QC (CenturyLink QC or the Company) (Investigation Dockets) and on CenturyLink QC’s Application for a determination that residential and business telecommunications services provided throughout Zone 2 and Zone 3 service areas are subject to effective competition and therefore exempt from any regulation by the Commission pursuant to Wyo. Stat. § 37-15-202. The Wyoming Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA), All West Communications, Inc., Dubois Telephone Exchange, Inc., Range Telephone Cooperative, Inc., RT Communications, Inc., Silver Star Telephone, and Tri County Telephone, Inc. (collectively the Independent Phone Companies), the Crook County Board of Commissioners, and AARP Wyoming have intervened in these matters and all parties except Crook County have entered into stipulation agreements. The public hearing is set to commence on Monday, December 10, 2018, at 9:00 a.m., in the Commission’s hearing room located at 2515 Warren Avenue, Suite 300, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The Commission has received complaints and reports from CenturyLink customers regarding the quality and reliability of telecommunications service they provide. As a result of receiving service quality related complaints and reports, the Commission opened 3 separate investigations of the quality and reliability of telecommunications service provided CenturyLink in Wyoming. In Docket No. 90000-113-XI-10 (Sub 113), the Commission, upon its own motion, opened its investigation into the quality, reliability and availability CenturyLink QC’s telecommunications service in its service areas in which old, inadequate, unserviceable, or obsolete equipment remains in service. In Docket No. 90000-122-XI-15 (Sub 122), the Commission issued its Order Initiating Investigation in Sub 122 to investigate the quality, reliability, and availability of CenturyLink QC’s telecommunications service in Zones 2 and 3 of its Wheatland exchange. In Docket No. 90000-128-XI-16 (Sub 128) the Commission issued its Order Initiating Investigation of CenturyLink QC’s telecommunications service in Zones 2 and 3 of the rural areas of Crook County, Wyoming.

On June 6, 2017, CenturyLink QC filed its Petition in Docket No. 70000-1644-TA-17 (Sub 1644) requesting a determination that its basic residential and business services provided throughout Zone 2 and Zone 3 service areas in Wyoming are subject to effective competition and therefore exempt from any regulation by the Commission pursuant to Wyo. Stat. § 37-15-202. CenturyLink QC is seeking a determination that it faces effective competition in Zone 2 and 3 service areas. in the following Wyoming exchanges: Afton, Buffalo, Casper, Cheyenne, Cody, Dayton-Ranchester, Douglas, Evanston, Gillette, Glendo, Glenrock, Green River, Jackson, Kemmerer, Lake, Lander, Laramie, Lusk, Mammoth, Moran, Old Faithful, Powell, Rawlins, Riverton, Rock Springs, Sheridan, Story, Wheatland and Wright. CenturyLink and the intervening Independent Telephone Companies have entered into a Stipulation and CenturyLink, and Intervenors OCA and AARP Wyoming have entered into a Stipulation and Agreement.

This public hearing will be conducted in accordance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act and the Wyoming Public Service Commission’s Procedural Rules and Special Regulations. All interested persons may appear and be heard, either in person or through counsel, as provided by the Commission’s Procedural Rules and Special Regulations.

All interested persons are encouraged to attend the public hearing which will be conducted in accordance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act and the Wyoming Public Service Commission Rules and Special Regulations. Interested persons may appear and be heard, either in person or through counsel, as provided by Commission Rule.

The Commission’s hearings are open to all persons. If you wish to attend the hearing in person and you require reasonable accommodation for a disability, please contact the Commission at (307) 777-7427 (Voice or TTY) in Cheyenne during regular business hours or write them at 2515 Warren Avenue, Suite 300, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002, to make arrangements. Communications impaired persons may also contact the Commission by accessing Wyoming Relay (TTY) by dialing 711. Please mention Docket Nos. 70000-1644-TA-17 (Record No. 14742); 90000-113-XI-10 (Record No. 12650); 90000-122-XI-15 (Record No. 14056); and/or 90000-128-XI-16 (Record No. 14475) in your correspondence. If you wish to listen to the hearing scheduled in this matter go to http://psc.wy.us at the appropriate time and follow the instructions to connect to the hearing.

Those unable to attend the hearing in person but wishing to make a public comment may do so by dialing the Commission’s conference call phone number at 1-877-735-7186, and offering comments when prompted to do so. Parties calling in are asked to mute their phone unless they are offering comments.

Dated:     November 16, 2018.

Public Notice No. 10338. To be published in the Platte County Record - Times November 28, and December 5, 2018.