Default Order [31 Pa.B. 2243] Commissioners Present: John M. Quain, Chairperson; Robert K. Bloom, Vice Chairperson; Nora Mead Brownell; Aaron Wilson, Jr.; Terrance J. Fitzpatrick
Public Meeting held
April 5, 2001Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Law Bureau Prosecutory Staff v. Teltrust Communications Services, Inc. (2000.0325); Doc. No. C-00014970; A-310166
Default Order By the Commission:
On February 28, 2001, Law Bureau Prosecutory Staff instituted a complaint against Teltrust Communications Services, Inc. (Respondent), an interexchange (IXC) reseller certificated at A-310166. In the complaint, Prosecutory Staff alleged that the Commission sent by certified mail a notice to the Respondent that its September 2000 semi-annual Telephone Consumer Education Fund assessment was overdue, and that the Respondent failed to respond to this notice. The complaint charged that the Respondent violated the Commission's Global Order entered on September 30, 1999, at Docket Nos. L-00991648 and L-00991649, establishing the Telephone Consumer Education Fund by not paying the semi-annual assessment.
The complaint sought an order from the Commission canceling the Respondent's certificate of public convenience for failure to pay its assessment. See 66 Pa.C.S. §§ 501 and 502. The complaint was mailed by the Secretary's Bureau on February 28, 2001, and to date, more than 20 days later, no answer has been filed to the complaint and the assessment has still not been paid; Therefore, It Is Ordered That:
1. The allegations in Law Bureau Prosecutory Staff's complaint are deemed admitted and the complaint is thereby sustained.
2. The Secretary serve a copy of this Order upon all jurisdictional telecommunication carriers, the Office of Consumer Advocate, the Office of Small Business Advocate, the Office of Trial Staff, and the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection, and also cause a copy of this Order to be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin with a 20-day comment period.
3. Teltrust Communications Services, Inc. immediately cease providing service to any new customers and, within 10 days of the entry of this Order, provide a written notice to each existing customer directing each to select an alternative IXC service provider within 30 days of the date of the notice. Such notice must include a statement of the Commission's intent to cancel the company's certificate of public convenience absent public comment within the 20-day time period established pursuant to Ordering Paragraph No. 2, above.
4. Absent the filing of adverse public comment, 30 days after publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and without further action by the Commission, the certificate of public convenience held by Teltrust Communications Services, Inc. at Docket No. A-310166 shall be canceled, and the company's name stricken from all active utility lists maintained by the Tariff and Annual Report Section of the Commission's Bureau of Fixed Utility Services and the Assessment Section of the Bureau of Audits.
JAMES J. MCNULTY,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 01-709. Filed for public inspection April 20, 2001, 9:00 a.m.]
