Commenters Not So Sure About Utah EAS Repeal

The Utah Public Service Commission should think twice about repealing its extended area service (EAS) rules, commenters said last week. The PSC sought comment last month on scrapping its rule 347 (see 2302220040). The Utah Rural Telecom Association isn’t sure what the PSC “is attempting to achieve” with the possible repeal, the industry group said in docket 23-R347-01. "The EAS Rule was established over 20 years ago as a means for companies to establish unlimited local calling for an extended area (between exchanges in communities of interest) for a flat fee,” and “continues to be relevant today.” Eliminating EAS could affect providers' revenue and state USF, the association said. Customer EAS revenue offset some rural telcos' costs, "likely reducing the ILECs' draws from” Utah USF (UUSF). "Requiring a provider to provide unlimited local calling between all of its exchanges without any EAS rate element would decrease toll revenues which could ... increase a provider’s reliance on the UUSF." The group added, “While some aspects of the EAS rule may be outdated when viewed from the lens of modern digital switches, URTA believes that the EAS Rule is workable as it is enacted and should not be eliminated so long as there remain tariffed EAS services.” The Utah Commerce Department’s Division of Public Utilities said it doesn’t “feel that Rule 347 should be repealed but does feel that the rule needs to be updated to match changes that have occurred in the telecom industry over the last 20 years.” The Utah Office of Consumer Services (OCS) doesn’t have enough information to know the impact of repealing the EAS rule, it said. "However, given the substantial uncertainties … coupled with the fact that the rule as written does not currently create difficulties in Utah telecom regulation, the OCS notes that the best approach may be to leave the rule intact.” If the PSC wants to move forward, OCS suggested holding a technical conference or allowing discovery to get more information.