DOCKET UT-970650 Page 1



BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION


In the Matter of the Petition  ) DOCKET UT-970650
of GTE Card Services Incorporated ) 
for an Order Granting    ) FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL 
Amendment to Registration   )  ORDER GRANTING AMENDMENT 
to Provide Local Exchange  ) TO REGISTRATION AND 
Services and Authorizing   ) AUTHORIZING THE   
Provision of Intraexchange   ) PROVISION OF SWITCHED Telecommunications   ) 
INTRAEXCHANGE 
Services.    ) TELECOMMUNICATIONS
...................................  ) SERVICES.



  On April 15, 1997, GTE Card Services Incorporated, d/b/a GTE Long Distance 
(GTE Long Distance) filed a petition to amend the company’s registration 
authority to provide facilities and resold local exchanges services.  GTE Long 
Distance proposes to offer telecommunications services as a reseller of the 
services of other local exchange carriers, including the incumbents.  GTE Long 
Distance will also use its own local exchange facilities, at a later date, 
thereby operating as both a reseller and facilities based provider of local 
exchange telecommunications services.  GTE Long Distance intends to offer 
service to business and residential customers throughout Washington State.  The 
services will be an adjunct to the services that GTE Long Distance currently 
provides.  

  GTE Long Distance was registered as a telecommunications company in Docket 
UT-950698 on July 12, 1995, and authorized to provide intrastate interexchange 
telecommunications services to residential and business customers in 
Washington.   

  GTE Long Distance, is headquartered in Irving, Texas and uses the network and 
facilities of its parent, GTE Corporation.  GTE Information Services is one of 
three primary business groups of GTE Corporation.  GTE Long Distance has a 
separate board of directors, separate officers and separate corporation 
headquarters from its affiliated entities.  It maintains separate books of 
account and prepares financial statements that are cons olidated, along with 
those of the other GTE Corporation affiliates, into GTE Corporation’s 
consolidated financial statements.

  GTE Long Distance’s proposed tariff is satisfactory and will mirror Local 
Exchange Company calling.  GTE Long Distance has provided the information 
necessary to demonstrate GTE Long Distance possesses adequate financial 
resources and technical competence to provide the proposed services.  GTE Long 
Distance has voluntarily committed to collect and remit to appropriate 
administrative agencies relevant excise taxes in support of various social 
programs, including enhanced 911, telecommunications relay services, and 
lifeline.  GTE Long Distance does not propose to collect advanced payments or 
deposits from customers.  

FINDINGS

  THE COMMISSION FINDS:

  1.  GTE Long Distance, is a public service company subject to the 
jurisdiction of this Commission under the provisions of chapter 80.36 R.C.W.

  2.  GTE Long Distance has provided sufficient information to show that it is 
financially and technically capable to provide the services proposed.  

  3.  It appears, upon investigation, that the request for authority to amend 
the application for registration and provide intraexchange switched 
telecommunications services should be approved.

  4.  In this proceeding, the Commission in no way endorses the financial 
viability of applicant nor the investment quality of any securities it may 
issue.

O R D E R

  THE COMMISSION ORDERS:

  1.  After the effective date of this order and subject to the conditions 
hereof, the petition of GTE Long Distance, filed with the Commission requesting 
authority to amend the application for registration and provide intraexchange 
telecommunications services is hereby granted and may provide services through 
individual contract or tariff with cost support until the competitive 
classification is amended to include local exchange services and final order 
granted. 

  2.  This order shall in no way affect the authority of this Commission over 
rates, service, accounts, valuations, estimates or determination of costs, or 
any matters whatsoever that may come before it, nor shall anything herein be 
construed as an acquiescence in any estimate or determination of costs, or any 
valuation of property claimed or asserted.

  3.  The proposed tariff as filed and amended, is satisfactory.  Prior to 
supplying local exchange services to the public as a telecommunications 
company, GTE Long Distance shall file and receive permission and approval for 
an initial tariff from the Commission identical to the amended tariff filed in 
the application.  The tariff shall bear an effective date not less than 30 days 
subsequent to the date of receipt by the Commission.  

  4.  GTE Long Distance, shall not collect advanced payments or deposits 
without first showing that it has a satisfactory arrangement to protect 
customer monies as stated in WAC 480-121-040.

  DATED at Olympia, Washington, and effective this 31st day of December 1997.


  WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION



       PAUL CURL, Acting Secretary