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Public utilities

Colorado Public Utilities Commission Grants Bandwidth's Petition to Provide Rural Telecommunications Services

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has issued a decision granting Bandwidth.com CLEC, LLC's (Bandwidth) petition to provide rural telecommunications services in the Byers, Deer Trail, and Dinosaur exchanges. This decision, effective October 25, 2022, allows Bandwidth to offer competitive services in the designated areas. The PUC's ruling affirms that it does not assert jurisdiction over deregulated services of local exchange services.

Key Takeaways:

  • Bandwidth.com CLEC, LLC (Bandwidth) filed a petition to provide rural telecommunications services in the Byers, Deer Trail, and Dinosaur exchanges on September 8, 2022.
  • The services to be provided are located in the service territory of Bijou Telephone Cooperative Association, Inc. (Bijou) and CenturyTel of Eagle, Inc. d/b/a CenturyLink (CenturyTel).
  • Bandwidth has represented that it has directly notified Bijou Telephone Cooperative Association, Inc. and CenturyTel of its Declaration of Intent to Serve.
  • The petition was uncontested, and the PUC determined the petition without a formal hearing in accordance with SS 40-6-109(5) C.R.S. and Rule 1403 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure.
  • The Commission updated its existing telecommunications rules to be consistent with the 2014 Telecommunications Reform Legislation, making changes that no longer require Commission authorization to offer deregulated local exchange services.
  • The PUC will consider Bandwidth's petition but affirms that it does not assert any jurisdiction over deregulated services of local exchange services.
  • The Commission Orders That: the Petition filed by Bandwidth.com CLEC, LLC on September 8, 2022, stating its Declaration of Intent to Serve Within the Territory of a Rural Telecommunications Provider to serve in the Byers, Deer Trail, and Dinosaur exchanges is granted.

Statistics:

  • 20-day time period provided by SS 40-6-114, C.R.S., to file an application for rehearing, reargument, or reconsideration begins on the first day after the effective date of this Decision.
  • Deregulated services of local exchange services are exempt from regulation under Part 4 of Title 40, Article 15, C.R.S.
  • Over 50% of the service territory of Bijou Telephone Cooperative Association, Inc. and CenturyTel of Eagle, Inc. d/b/a CenturyLink is open to competitive providers and competition.

Sources:

  • Decision No. C22-0645 BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO PROCEEDING NO. 22U-0391T IN THE MATTER OF THE BANDWIDTH.COM CLEC LLC DBA BANDWIDTH.COM PETITION FOR DECLARATION OF INTENT TO SERVE WITHIN THE TERRITORY OF A RURAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROVIDER AS PROVIDED IN RULES 2003(A)(III) AND 2017.
  • SS 40-15-401, C.R.S.

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