BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

In the Matter of the Requested  )
Waiver of Statutory Notice in  ) DOCKET UT-990107
Connection with the Tariff  )
Revisions Filed by    ) ORDER GRANTING 
McDaniel Telephone Co., d/b/a ) LESS THAN STATUTORY
TDS Telecom    ) NOTICE (LSN), WITH CONDITIONS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ) 

  On March 8, 1999, McDaniel Telephone Co., d/b/a TDS Telecom filed with the 
Commission, a revision to its Tariff WN U-4.  The purpose of this filing is to 
revise Schedule 15, Second Revised Sheet 161 to update the Lifeline credits to 
coincide with the increased residential basic service rates that were 
suspended, but allowed to go into effect subject to refund or credit, by 
Commission order on February 26, 1999 in the Company's Expanded Local Exchange 
filing, Docket UT-990107.  
 
DISCUSSION

  The tariff sheets bear an inserted effective date of April 8, 1999.  This 
date recognizes the required statutory notice period.  The company requests, 
however, that statutory notice be waived and that the revisions be allowed to 
become effective on March 25, 1999.
 
  The reason for requesting Less Than Statutory Notice for this filing is to 
update the Lifeline credits to ensure Lifeline customers will not be billed an 
amount greater than the $7.50 benchmark amount while the company is collecting 
the increased rates subject to refund or credit.
  
  Because this filing is so closely related to the residential basic rate with 
which it is paired, the Commission considers it in the same docket as the 
residential rate.  Doing so will help to assure that the conditional rate will 
be revised when needed and that the lifeline rate will remain appropriately 
matched with the authorized local residential service rate.
  
  The Lifeline credit tariff revision filed herein appears to be fair, just and 
reasonable, when applied to the increased rates being collected subject to 
refund or credit in this docket.  They are stated as specific dollar amounts, 
however, and should not be allowed to remain effective longer than the interim 
rates with which they are paired.  The Commission's approval of the rates is 
conditional, therefore, upon the continuing effect of the interim rate.  If the 
interim rate is revised, the Company must file a replacement lifeline credit 
tariff sheet for permanent effect that is paired with whatever residential rate 
level that the Commission ultimately approves.

  Waiver of statutory notice is not inconsistent with the public interest, and 
the Commission finds it appropriate to grant the company the waiver it is 
requesting with an effective date of March 25, 1999.

  
FINDINGS

  After careful examination of the tariff revisions filed herein by McDaniel 
Telephone Co., d/b/a TDS Telecom on March 8, 1999, and giving consideration to 
all relevant matters and for good cause shown, the Commission finds that it is 
fair, just, reasonable and consistent with the public interest that the tariff 
revisions become effective March 25, 1999, conditioned upon their revision 
coincident with any required revisions of the interim residential rate approved 
in this docket on February 26, 1999.

O R D E R

  THE COMMISSION THEREFORE ORDERS That the requested waiver of statutory notice 
in connection with the tariff revisions filed herein by McDaniel Telephone Co., 
d/b/a TDS Telecom on March 8, 1999, is hereby granted, and the tariff revisions 
shall become effective March 25, 1999, conditioned upon their revision 
coincident with any required revisions of the interim residential rate approved 
in this docket on February 26, 1999.

  DATED at Olympia, Washington, and effective this 24th day of March, 1999.

  WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION



       CAROLE J. WASHBURN, Secretary