DOCKET UT-970297  Page 1


BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION


In the Matter of     ) DOCKET UT-970297
a Petition of GTE Card Services, )
Incorporated,     ) ORDER GRANTING
for Waiver of Certain   ) CONDITIONAL WAIVER OF
Requirements Imposed as   ) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS
Preconditions to Registration  ) IMPOSED AS PRECONDITIONS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .) TO REGISTRATION


  On February 25, 1997, GTE Card Services, Incorporated, d/b/a GTE Long 
Distance (GTE), filed a petition requesting waiver of certain requirements 
prescribed by the Commission as preconditions for registration.  This request 
constitutes an amendment to GTE’s application for registration as a 
telecommunications company which was approved by the Commission in Docket 
UT-950698.

  GTE is requesting waiver of the escrow arrangement and reports required as 
preconditions to Commission approval of its registration application.  GTE 
requested that the amount of funds retained in the Company’s Washington escrow 
account be immediately reduced to zero.  In addition, GTE requests the 
Commission eliminate previously required monthly reporting of financial status.

  In the event that the Commission should deny the relief sought herein, 
Petitioner alternatively requests that the Commission authorize Petitioner to 
1) post a fixed rate bond for an amount not to exceed $5,000.00, the maximum 
amount currently required by any commission; and 2) eliminate monthly reporting 
in favor of annual reporting, subject to future review of GTE’s operations and 
ultimate waiver.

  The Commission reserves the right to reimpose the requirement that up to 100 
percent of GTE’s outstanding account balances be reinstated in escrow or a bond 
due to: excessive customer complaints regarding service directly under the 
company’s control, financial instability of GTE, or GTE’s withdrawal of its 
prepaid calling card services.

FINDINGS

  THE COMMISSION FINDS:

  1. GTE Card Services, Incorporated, is a public service company subject to 
the jurisdiction of this Commission under the provisions of Chapter 80.36 RCW.


  2. It appears, upon investigation, that the request for authority to amend 
the application for registration to waive the escrow arrangement and reporting 
requirements as cited in the order, is reasonable and consistent with the 
public interest and should therefore be granted.

O R D E R

  THE COMMISSION ORDERS That after the date of this order, and conditioned on 
the company’s compliance with its commitments as recited in this order, the 
petition of GTE Card Services, Incorporated, requesting waiver of the escrow 
arrangement and reporting requirements in GTE Card Services, Incorporated’s 
registration application in Docket UT-950698, is reasonable and consistent with 
the public interest and should therefore be granted.

  DATED at Olympia, Washington, and effective this  
day of April, 1997.

WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION



      STEVE McLELLAN, Secretary