The Skyko 2 community would like to thank The Herald for the Aug. 26 article “In the boonies, phone calls are beyond long distance.”
It’s important to note that while phone service would be just a convenience for me (since I have satellite Internet), it is a vital necessity for my neighbors who are also involved in this petition. While we may live in the “boonies,” it’s only about three miles from the end of the existing telephone grid.
Verizon says we chose to live off the grid, so we shouldn’t complain. That assertion is irrelevant, but I don’t have a particular problem with Verizon in this matter.
The problem I have is with the procedure for getting telephone service.
Federal law says a community simply has to request service and then the public utilities commission shall determine which telephone company is best suited and shall order that company to provide service (paraphrased from 47 USC 214 (e)(3)). We made such a request but have somehow become entrenched in a protracted legal proceeding, where the response from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to most questions is “Sorry, but we can’t give you legal advice.” The Office of the Attorney General is limiting itself to filing supporting briefs. While we greatly appreciate this, it’s not sufficient and it’s not what is required by the law.
The law is clear, the money is there to pay for it out of the fee added to everyone’s phone bill for “Universal Service,” so where is the money going? When Verizon asks for a rate increase, why does the WUTC give it to them instead of using it for leverage to get service extended to some of us on the edge of the grid?
Douglas Rupp
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