PENNSYLVANIA PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION
POBOX 3265, HARRISBURG, PA17105-3265 / IN REPLY PLEASE REFER TO OUR FILE
Re:Applications for Telecommunication Authority within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for
CLEC (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier),
IXC Reseller (Interexchange Carrier Reseller),
IXC Facilities-based (Interexchange Carrier Facilities-Based), or
CAP (Competitive Access Provider)
Dear Applicant:
Enclosed, please find application form, PUC-377, adopted by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on September 7, 1996, by the Implementation Reconsideration Order in Docket No. M-0090799, In re: Implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (TA96). Additionally, we have included the minimum information required for evaluation of financial fitness and for tariff sufficiency.
*An application may be filed in any of several formats. Form PUC-377 may be used as fill-in-the-blanks form, or you may scan (or retype) the application and answer the questions. If you choose to retype the application, you should repeat the questions or parts of the questions applicable to your operations. Preserve the original numbering scheme and indicate that any skipped question is “not applicable.”
*An applicant may submit one application for all desired services. If you request more than one type of authority in a single application, you must use a separate caption on the face of the application for each authority and submit a proposed tariff for each type of service.
*An applicant for competitive local exchange service (CLEC) should serve a copy of the application on all incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs). A certificate of service must be attached to the application. A copy of the CLEC application should also be served on all parties named in item number 17 of the application. A CLEC applicant should specify whether it will be operating as a reseller, facilities-based, or combination/mixed CLEC.
*CLEC authority does not include intraLATA Interexchange (IXC) toll authority or competitive access provider (CAP) authority. If the applicant desires to provide intraLATA IXC toll services and/or CAP services, whether or not in conjunction with CLEC and/or interLATA IXC toll services, the applicant must explicitly request authority for IXC services and/or CAP services and so indicate in response to questions number 9 and 10. CAP authority may not be used to access the Public Switched Network or toll calling. You must also designate whether the IXC toll service/CAP services will be provided via resale, facilities-based, or combination/mixed operations. IXC toll and CAP authority is typically issued for statewide and requires notice of service only as specified in item number 17.
If an application is properly filed and served, including a proposed tariff with rules and regulations and rates for services, the Secretary’s Bureau will mail the applicant a letter indicating acceptance of the application and granting of provisional authorityin non-rural ILEC services areas. While the Secretarial Letter will not constitute a certificate of public convenience, it will constitute an applicant’s authority to proceed under paragraph B.1.c.4 on page 7 of the June 3, 1996, Implementation Order, as modified by page 5 of the September 7, 1996, Implementation Reconsideration Order.
CLEC INTERCONNECTION AND RESALE AGEEMENTS
Interconnection and resale agreements may be filed prior to, in conjunction with, or subsequent to the filing of a CLEC application. The parties to such agreements should file a joint petition requesting that agreement be approved, summarizing the key points of the agreement, and averring compliance with the requirements of TA96 and this Commission’s Implementation Orders.
CLEC 911 SERVICE
CLECs are required to provide a toll-free 911 emergency number for any individual within the Commonwealth to gain rapid, direct access to emergency aid. CLECs are also required to contact and make necessary arrangements for the provisioning of Emergency 911 (E-911) service with the County 911 Coordinator in each County in which the carrier intends to provide service. Similar arrangements must be made with the appropriate 911 Coordinator(s) where service is to be provided in the specified cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, Pittsburgh and/or DuBois.
An Officer of the carrier must acknowledge on the affidavit attached to the application that the carrier has contacted the appropriate 911 Coordinator(s) via certified letter and that arrangements are under way for the provisioning of emergency 911 in each county or specified city where service is to be provided. CLECs are also responsible to comply with the provisions of the Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act, which includes collecting and remitting the 911 contribution rates as well as providing an access line count to the counties when requested. The Act as well as a listing of 911 Coordinators is available on the PEMA website at
All prospective CLECs with the intent of providing service in the state of Pennsylvania are required to forward a completed Service Provider E-911 Questionnaire to each county or specified city where it plans to provide service. The Service Provider Questionnaire was developed in conjunction with Docket No. P-00971203 Petition of Bell Atlantic-Pennsylvania, Inc. for a Declaratory Order Relating to Provision of Master Street Address Guides to Competitive Local Exchange Carriers and Docket No. M-00991217 Joint Petition for Relief Establishing Uniformity for 9-1-1 Provisioning. A copy of the 911 Questionnaire, which is referred to by PEMA as the “CLEC Survey” is available on the PEMA website at by following the link for “Plans, Guides, and Presentations,” and clicking on the link for “CLEC Survey.”
CLEC LIFELINE SERVICE
A copy of a sample tariff and information on Lifeline Service Plan, Emergency 911, IntraLATA presubscription, Telephone Relay Service, Caller ID Blocking service and other matters that are required in a CLEC tariff may be obtained by calling the Secretary’s Bureau at 7177830704. Some of the above information, including approved tariffs of telecommunication companies in Pennsylvania, is available at the Commission’s website
PA UTILITY CHOICE PROGRAM
The PUC in conjunction with the Council for Utility Choice developed a consumer-education program to help consumers shop for their utility service. Components of this program include a website ( and an on-line consumer-education shopping tool, called PA TeleChoice (for residential telephone consumers). The website and PA TeleChoice serve two purposes; they help consumers by highlighting which telephone providers are serving residential and business customers by county, and in the case of PA TeleChoice, consumers enter their area code and the first 3-digits of their telephone number to see a side-by-side comparison of providers' plans for residential customers.
To build on consumer-education and spur telephone competition, the PUC encourages telephone providers to participate in the listing of telephone providers by county for the Web site as well as PA TeleChoice. Please contact the Communications Office at 717-787-5724 and provide the PUC with the following information: the name of your company; a 1-800 toll-free telephone number for residential and business customers; company website address; headquarters address; and a list of the counties your company is providing service for residential and business customers. For providers who are offering to residential customers, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and the Council for Utility Choice strongly encourage your participation in PA TeleChoice. For more information about PA TeleChoice, please contact the PUC’s Communications Office.
PUC APPLICATION AND TARIFF REVIEW
The Commission’s Bureau of Fixed Utility Services - Telecommunications Group (FUS-Telecom) performs the review of proposed tariffs for CLECs and applications seeking multiple authority. FUS-Finance Group reviews applicant’s financial information for financial fitness of CLECs and tariffs of application seeking stand-alone IXC toll reseller authority. If you have further questions, please contact FUS-Telecom at 717-787-5550or FUS-Finance Group at 7177873664.
Sincerely,
Rosemary Chiavetta
Secretary
Attachments:
1. Application Check List
2. Application Form (PUC 377)
3. County 911 Contribution rates
4. Minimum requirements for financial fitness
5. Minimum requirements for tariff sufficiency
6. Implementation Order- Telecommunication Act 1996
7. Reconsideration Order- Telecommunication Act 1996
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