January 30, 2001 Possible Surcharge for State Interim Number Pooling Docket No. UT-991627 NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY TO FILE COMMENTS (February 28, 2001) On November 29, 2000 the Commission ordered the telecommunications industry to implement a number pooling trial in the Spokane metropolitan statistical area by July 8, 2001. Additionally, the Commission staff was directed to solicit comments regarding cost allocation and cost recovery associated with number pooling. The Commission invites comments on the specific questions below. Commenters are asked to provide specific factual information wherever possible. The specific questions for comment are: 1. Do you intend to ask for a surcharge to cover state interim pooling costs? 2. How should the costs of interim pooling in area code 509 be recovered? 3. What FCC requirements do you believe apply regarding the type of allowable costs to be recovered for interim pooling? 4. Should carriers who participate in interim pooling within the 509 area code recover costs at this time or wait until such time as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) addresses cost recovery for pooling on a national level? 5. What portion of these costs should be recovered at the time of the national pooling roll out vs. upon implementation of interim state pooling? 6. Should the interim pooling charge continue once national pooling is implemented and cost recovery is addressed by the FCC? 7. What are the specific incremental costs related to interim number pooling? 8. How is the allocation factor determined for the software upgrade that enables number pooling? 9. Is the software used for number pooling capable of providing other service offerings? 10. If a percentage of the software is recovered through a number pooling surcharge, how will you assure that this cost is not collected again through regulated rates (i.e. as a result of being included in rate base)? 11. Should cost be recovered from a company’s own customers or pooled and recovered from all customers in the 509 area code? 12. How should the costs of the interim pooling administrator be recovered? 13. Should the current number portability charge be modified to include cost recovery for interim pooling, should the number portability charge be extended for a longer period of time or should a separate interim pooling charge apply? 14. What is the name of each central office and/or rate center owned by your company located in the 509 NPA that has local number portability capability? 15. If local number portability is not currently provided, is the call processing equipment capable of being upgraded to provide LNP? 16. What is the name of each exchange and/or rate center in the 509 NPA in which your company has received requests for number portability and when will LNP be available? 17. Please provide detail of your company’s costs associated with providing local number portability. 18. Does your company currently charge a set up and query charge for local number portability? 19. If you charge for local number portability, what is the rate and how long will it be in effect? ELECTRONIC COMMENTS. Please provide your comments in electronic format. Electronic comments are due in the Commission offices no later than February 28, 2001. Please include a brief summary of your comments. The Commission request, but does not require, that comments be provided in electronic format to facilitate quotations from the comments, to enhance public access, and to reduce the need for additional paper copies. Please help us by sending an electronic copy via e-mail or on a 3-1/2-inch IBM formatted high density diskette, in .pdf Adobe Acrobat format reflecting the pagination of your original. Please also send us the text in your choice of .doc (Word 97 or later) or .wpd (Wordperfect 6.0 or later) labeled with the docket number of this proceeding (UT-991627) and the commenter= s name and type of software used. If unable to file electronically, commenters are asked, but not required, to file an original plus ten copies of their written comments. Comments may be provided by e-mail to records@wutc.wa.gov Comments provided by mail or courier should be addressed to: Secretary, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, P.O. Box 7250, 1300 S. Evergreen Park Drive S.W., Olympia, WA 98467-47250. Commission Staff will post on the Commission's web site all comments provided in electronic format (with the exception of confidential information). The web site is http://www.wutc.wa.gov. The Commission welcomes your participation via electronic comments. The Commission anticipates that there will be additional opportunity for you to participate as this process goes forward. The Commission will post and regularly update its web site to include information that pertains to this inquiry. Information will be provided to you individually if you request it. If you wish to receive further information on this issue you may either: (1) submit a written request, call the Commission's records center at (360) 664-1234, or (2) e-mail the commission at < records@wutc.wa.gov.> When contacting the Commission, please refer to Docket No. UT-991627. NOTICE If you do not wish to comment at this time, but would like to receive future information about this inquiry, please notify the Commission Secretary by mail, e-mail, or telephone, as indicated above. Please request to be included on the Docket No. UT-991627 mailing list. Sincerely, CAROLE J. WASHBURN Secretary