NOTICE OF UTILITY APPLICATION TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND SERVICE
The REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA (Commission) gives notice that on June 10, 2015, Alascom, Inc. d/b/a AT&T Alaska (AT&T Alaska) filed an application seeking to temporarily suspend long distance telephone service in Healy Lake, Alaska (Application). Docket U-15-088 was opened to address this matter.
Alaska Power & Telephone Company, the local exchange telecommunications service provider and commercial power provider in Healy Lake, has filed an application to temporarily suspend wireline telephone and electric service to the community from April 14, 2015 through December 31, 2015. AT&T Alaska states that it is unable to operate its facilities and provide long distance service without access to electric power, a local switch to route long distance traffic, and local loops to carry long distance calls to and from a customer’s premises. In addition, AT&T Alaska asserts that its only customer in Healy Lake is Alaska Power & Telephone Company.
AS 42.05.261(a) provides that a public utility may not discontinue or abandon service unless, after notice and an opportunity for hearing, the Commission finds that continued service is not required by the public’s convenience and necessity. A hearing will be scheduled by the Commission in a future order to allow interested persons to voice their support for or opposition to AT&T Alaska’s proposed temporary suspension of long distance telephone service in Healy Lake. All interested persons will be invited to attend and make comments at the hearing.
No motion for waiver or petition for confidentiality was filed with the Application. The Commission has not assessed the completeness of the Application. The Commission may determine whether the Application is complete by July 1, 2015.
You may obtain information about the Application by contacting Cindy Manheim, General Counsel for AT&T Alaska, at P.O. Box 97061, Redmond, WA 98073; phone (425) 580-8112. The complete Application is also available for inspection at the Commission’s office at 701 West 8th Avenue, Suite 300, Anchorage, AK 99501; phone (907) 276-6222, or may be viewed at the Commission’s website at http://rca.alaska.gov by typing Docket U-15-088 in the Find a Matter search box.
To comment on the Application, please file your comments by 5:00 p.m. July 7, 2015, at the Commission’s address given above or via our website at:
https://rca.alaska.gov/RCAWeb/WhatsNew/PublicNoticesComments.aspx
Please reference the Docket U-15-088 and include a statement that you’ve filed a copy of the comments with the attorney for AT&T Alaska at the address given above.
Individuals or groups of people with disabilities, who require special accommodations, auxiliary aids or service, or alternative communication formats, please contact Joyce McGowan at (907) 276-6222, toll-free at 1-800-390-2782, TTY (907) 276-4533, or send a request via electronic mail to rca.mail@alaska.gov by June 30, 2015.
DATED at Anchorage, Alaska, this 15th day of June, 2015.
REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA
Robert M. Pickett
Chairman