PUC Annual Report–Fiscal Year 2004-05 - Public Utilities Commission

Public Utilities Commission Annual Report 2004-05State of Hawaii Page 20network element-platform) lines in service in the State as of March 10, 2005.MCImetro is an authorized provider of telecommunications services in the State.8. COMMISSION APPROVES TARIFF CHANGES.During the Fiscal Year, the Commission approved the following tariff changes for VerizonHawaii:Local Package Plus (“LPP”). In August 2004, the Commission approvedVerizon Hawaii’s request to make LPP (now known as Verizon RegionalPackage Extra (“VRPE”)) a permanent offering. In May 2003, the Commissioninitially approved Verizon Hawaii’s LPP offering on a one-year promotional basis.LPP telecommunications services includes residential line, touch call, unlimiteddirectory assistance (“DA”), up to 14 custom calling features, optional residentialhome voice mail, and unlimited inter-island toll.Wireless E911 Service. In March 2005, the Commission approved VerizonHawaii’s tariff proposal to establish wireless E911 service throughout the State.Verizon Hawaii proposes to establish wireless E911 service in accordance withPhases I and II of Title 47, Part 20, Code of Federal Regulations, CommercialMobile Radio Services. Phases I and II addresses the problem of identifying thelocation of wireless telephones by enabling the transfer of location informationfrom the wireless service providers to a Public Safety Answering Point (“PSAP”).A PSAP routes a 911 telephone call to the appropriate emergency responseteam (i.e., police, fire department, ambulance).9. COMMISSION OVERTURNS POOLING ADMINISTRATOR’S(“PA’s”) DENIAL.In August 2004, the Commission overturned the PA’s denial of MCImetro’s June 16, 2004request for numbering resources, provided that MCImetro is only authorized to receive and/orretain 1,000 numbers from each of the six (6) central office code thousands-block codes to servethe six (6) rate centers of Honolulu, Hilo, Lihue, Wailuku, Kaunakakai, and Lanai City on theislands of Oahu, Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, and Lanai, respectively. MCImetro’s new Hawaiiswitch will be used to provide voice service to customers in these rate centers.10. COMMISSION ESTABLISHES TRS CONTRIBUTION FACTORAND FUND SIZE.In May 2003, the Commission required every telecommunications carrier in Hawaii tocontribute to the intrastate TRS fund. A carrier’s contribution to the TRS fund is a product of itsgross operating revenues from the retail provision of intrastate telecommunications service duringthe preceding calendar year and a contribution factor determined annually by the Commission.For the period July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005, the contribution factor was 0.0010.In April 2005, the Commission initiated a proceeding to examine whether to modify theTRS carrier contribution factor and fund size for the period July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006. InMay 2005, the Commission adopted its proposal to continue the existing carrier contributionfactor and TRS fund size. The contribution factor for the period July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006is 0.0010. The projected TRS fund size for the same period is approximately $680,000.