Alltel said the Florida Public Service Commission did rural custo...
Alltel said the Florida Public Service Commission did rural customers in the Quincy area of the panhandle region a disservice in deferring action Tuesday on its application for wireless eligible telecom carrier (ETC) status, which would qualify it to…
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receive universal service subsidies. Alltel said the PSC deferral was inappropriate because it hinged on national universal service policy issues rather than the merits of Alltel’s petition. Alltel (Case 06-0582-TP) said the PSC shouldn’t have turned its ETC petition into a platform for debate on national problems arising from the extremely rapid growth of the federal Universal Service Fund. The PSC said it deferred action in the face of conflicting recommendations from its staff. Some staffers recommended granting the application because it met all legal requirements and would give customers more service options. But other staffers urged denial on ground that naming Alltel an ETC would contribute to the explosive growth of the federal Universal Service Fund, leading to higher universal service fees for all Florida phone customers. The PSC members who voted for the deferral said they acted not only because of the Universal Service Fund issues but also to ensure all issues related to the need for Alltel as an additional universal service provider in the Quincy area are addressed.