BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

In the Matter of the Petition of:

Verizon Select Services, Inc.,
f/k/a GTE Communications Corporation
d/b/a GTE Long Distance and
Bell Atlantic Communications, Inc.,
d/b/a Verizon Long Distance

For waiver of WAC 480-120-139
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		DOCKET UT-010031
		
		ORDER GRANTING LIMITED WAIVER OF RULES

BACKGROUND

  
1 On January 11, 2001, Verizon Select Services, Inc., f/k/a GTE Communications 
Corporation d/b/a  GTE Long Distance (VSS) and Bell Atlantic Communications, 
Inc., d/b/a Verizon Long Distance  (VLD) filed a joint petition requesting 
waiver of WAC 480-120-139 for the transfer of intrastate  ntralata and 
interexchange toll customers from VSS to VLD.

2 The reason for this request is because the Bell Atlantic/NYNEX merger and the 
Bell Atlantic/GTE  merger resulted in Verizon Communications, Inc., (Verizon) 
having multiple subsidiaries, including  VSS and VLD that provide overlapping 
interstate and intrastate long distance services in certain  market segments.  
To remove this overlap, and to streamline Verizon operations and service 
offerings  in the residential and general business long distance market, 
Verizon wishes to partially consolidate its  long distance operations by 
reassigning VSS’s residence and general busines long distance customers  to VLD.

3 VLD and VSS wished to implement this transfer no later than March 1, 2001.  
On January 17, 2001,  VSS and VLD filed an amended petition to change the 
implementation date of March 1, 2001, to  April 1, 2001.  On April 2, 2001, VSS 
and VLD filed a second amended petition to reflect the   inclusion of NYNEX 
Long Distance d/b/a Verizon Enterprise Solutions’ (VES) customers within the  
scope of the petition and to reflect another new implementation date of June 1, 
2001.

4 Under WAC 480-120-139, “Changes in local exchange and intrastate toll 
services,” VLD would not  be able to submit a change in a customer’s intrastate 
toll service without confirming the customer’s  authorization in accordance 
with requirements in the rule.

5 This request is limited specifically to this transference of a portion of VSS 
and VES’s customer base  to VLD.  Customer notices were mailed to all affected 
customers in conjunction with filing the petition  with the Commission.  VLD 
will credit any charge 

6 to the affected customers for changing their primary interexchange carrier to 
VLD.   VLD’s products  and services are similar to those offered by VSS and 
VES.  VLD will provide VSS and VES   customers rates that are the same or lower 
than the existing VSS and VES rates for a period of 30  days.

7 This matter was brought before the Commission at its regularly scheduled open 
meeting May 9, 2001.

8 The Commissioners, having been fully advised in the matter, and having 
determined the following  order to be consistent with the public interest, 
directed the Secretary to enter the following order and  related provisions.

FINDINGS

9 (1)  Verizon Select Services, Inc., f/k/a GTE Communications Corporation 
d/b/a GTE Long Distance, Bell Atlantic Communications, Inc., d/b/a Verizon Long 
Distance and NYNEX Long Distance d/b/a Verizon Enterprise Solutions are public 
service companies subject to the jurisdiction of this Commission under the 
provisions of chapter 80.36. R.C.W.

10 (2)  The limited waiver of WAC 490-120-139 as described above, is 
reasonable and consistent with the public interest, and should therefore be 
approved.

ORDER

        THE COMMISSION ORDERS:

11 After the effective date of this order, Bell Atlantic Communications, Inc., 
d/b/a Verizon Long Distance  is hereby granted a limited waiver of WAC 
480-120-139, for the initial transfer of intralata and   interexchange toll 
customers from Verizon Select Services, Inc., f/k/a GTE Communications   
Corporation d/b/a GTE Long Distance and NYNEX Long Distance d/b/a Verizon 
Enterprise   Solutions to Verizon Long Distance and such transfer is hereby 
authorized.

DATED at Olympia, Washington, and effective this 9th day of May, 2001.

WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION



       CAROLE J. WASHBURN, Secretary