Notice of Utility Tariff Filing

The REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA (Commission) gives notice that ACS of the Northland, LLC d/b/a Alaska Communications Systems, Alaska Communications, ACS Local Service, and ACS (ACS-N) filed TA195-359 seeking to add a new section to its tariff (Section 7) to house rules and regulations applying to its Sitka-Bush Study Area excluding the Sitka Exchange.

The language in the proposed Section 7 largely mirrors the rules and regulations in Section 3 of ACS-N’s current tariff. However, in Section 7 ACS-N proposes to eliminate outdated business practices no longer employed by the utility, remove duplicative provisions, and streamline existing language that is currently found in Section 3. A selection of the proposed revisions is provided below. The proposed revisions apply only to Section 7 and therefore only to the Sitka-Bush Study Area excluding the Sitka Exchange.

ASC-N proposes that the determination of whether service should be classified as business or residence will be based upon the character of use, regardless of the type of premises. ACS-N proposes that business rates apply where use is primarily or substantially of a business, professional, institutional or otherwise occupational nature, and residential rates will apply where use is primarily of a social or domestic nature. ACS-N also proposes applications for service may be made by calling the utility’s contact center or through ACS-N’s website.

ACS-N proposes revising the method for establishing credit to state that credit for any customer may be established in one of the following ways:

• By making an advance payment of up to one year of service;
• By establishing a satisfactory payment record with the utility by not having telephone service disconnected for non-payment and not having more than two delinquent invoice payments over a billing period of 12 consecutive months; or
• By having established a good payment record during the last year of service with another telephone company.

ACS-N further proposes that regular monthly invoices will be due based on the invoice due date and that late fees will not apply until the second billing cycle. Additionally, ACS-N proposes to eliminate the one-time $5 credit for customers who sign up for automatic payments in the Sitka-Bush Study Area, excluding the Sitka Exchange. ACS-N proposes that credit card payments may be processed prior to a customer’s invoice due date.

ACS-N proposes that a customer must notify the utility that they wish to discontinue service at least five days prior to disconnection. Currently all customers must notify the utility two days prior to discontinuing service. Additionally, ACS-N proposes that is will no longer attempt to contact customers facing temporary disconnection for nonpayment by phone prior to disconnecting service. ACS further proposes that if service is interrupted for non-payment, the charge  for restoral of service must be paid prior to service being re-established. In addition, regular monthly charges will apply during the period of interruption.

ACS-N proposes to add that it will notify a customer of any service connection or installation charges that will be applied to an invoice prior to the connection or installation and provide the customer with an estimate of the charges. In addition, ACS-N proposes language stating that when a customer requests service that requires ACS-N to install, relocate, or remove plant facilities, the cost of construction will be the responsibility of the customer. Finally, ACS-N proposes to add language that it maintains the right to remove or disconnect any authorized attachment or connection that is made to ACS-N’s network.

This notice does not contain all requested revisions and the Commission may approve a rate or classification which varies from those proposed. You may obtain more information about this filing by contacting Lisa Phillips, Regulatory Affairs Manager, at ACS-N, 600 Telephone Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99503; phone: (907) 564-3130. The complete filing is also available for inspection at the Commission's office at 701 West Eighth Avenue, Suite 300, Anchorage, AK 99501; (907) 276-6222 or may be viewed at the Commission's website at http://rca.alaska.gov by typing “TA195-359” in the Find a Matter search box.

To comment on this filing, please file your comments by 5:00 p.m., September 25th, 2017, at the Commission's address given above or via our website at:

http://rca.alaska.gov/RCAWeb/WhatsNew/PublicNoticesComments.aspx

Please reference TA195-359 and include a statement that you have filed a copy of the comments with ACS-N at the address given above or by email at lisa.phillips@acsalaska.com.

Individuals or groups of people with disabilities who require special accommodations, auxiliary aids or service, or alternative communication formats should contact Joyce McGowan at (907) 276-6222, toll free 1-800-390-2782 or TTY (907) 276-4533 or send a request via electronic mail to: rca.mail@alaska.gov by September 18, 2017.

DATED at Anchorage, Alaska, this 25th day of August, 2017.

                                                     REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA

                                                     Steven J. Kramer
                                                     Common Carrier Section Manager