Bona Fide Retail Request Program Available Only in Pennsylvania

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Bona Fide Retail Request Program Available Only in Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (Commission) approved an Amended Alternative Regulation Plan (Plan) for Alltel Pennsylvania, Inc. ("Alltel"), or any successor in interest, effective June 23, 2005. In the Plan, Alltel committed to accelerate broadband availability 1 to 100% of its retail customers by December 31, 2013. In the interim for those portions of Alltels local service territory where broadband service is not available, Alltel offers to implement this Bona Fide Retail Request Program (BFRR) in compliance with Act 183 (the Act). A description of Alltels BFRR is as follows: I. GENERAL A. Alltels BFRR is available to retail customers within Alltels local service territory in Pennsylvania. Any person, business, local development district, industrial development agency or other entity within Alltels local service territory seeking advanced services, as defined in the Act 2 , shall submit a written request for such services to Alltel or to the Department of Community and Economic Development of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (the Department). The written request may be submitted in three ways: 1. The written request may be in the form of a petition. or 2. The written request may also be on the form provided by the Department. In accordance with the Act, Alltel designated, on March 8, 2005, a single point of contact to receive all written advanced or broadband service requests forwarded by the Department. or 3. The written request may be the individual request form provided by Alltel (attached). If individual requests are received, Alltel shall aggregate requests for the same or comparable advanced services and initiate the appropriate action pursuant to section 3014 (c) of the Act when the required number of requests has been received. 1 The Act defines Broadband Availability as access to broadband service by a retail telephone customer of a local exchange telecommunications company. The Act defines Broadband as a communication channel using any technology
and having a bandwidth equal to or greater than 1.544 megabits per second (MBPS) in the downstream direction and equal
to or greater than 128 kilobits per second (KBPS) in the upstream direction. 2 The Act defines Advanced Service as a retail telecommunications service that, regardless of transmission medium or technology, is capable of supporting a minimum speed of 200 kilobits per second (KBPS) in at least one direction at the
network demarcation point of the customers premises. Bona Fide Retail Request Program Available Only in Pennsylvania C. To be considered a Bona Fide Retail Request, Alltel must receive written request(s) for a minimum of 50 retail access lines, or 25% of retail access lines within a community 3 , whichever is less, for the same advanced service or comparable advanced services having a bandwidth within 100 kilobits per second (KBPS) of each other. Notwithstanding the foregoing comparable bandwidth limitation, where a request includes individual customer requests for advanced services having equal to or less than 1.544 megabits per second (mbps) bandwidth in the downstream direction, all lines in the request shall be counted in meeting the minimum line requirement; B. For any of the three written requests described above, such request must include; 1. The name, address, telephone number and signature of each existing retail customer requesting the advanced service, the advanced service being requested and the number of access lines for which the advanced service is being requested. 2. The name, address and telephone number of a designated contact person where the request is made by or on behalf of more than one person or business and , 3. A commitment by each customer who signs the request to subscribe to the requested service for one year, subject to Alltels identification of the price and terms of the service and the customers agreement to the price and terms. II. IMPLEMENTATION A. In administering its Bona Fide Retail Request program, Alltel shall: 1. Provide information for customers regarding its BFRR program on its internet website at http://www.alltel.com/corporate/aboutalltel/tariffs/tariffs_pa.html or through its toll free number 1-866-406-3784. 2. Mail the attached Individual Request Form to a customer upon request. 3 The Act defines community as those customers of a local exchange telecommunications company served by an existing or planned remote terminal or, where no remote terminal exists or is planned, a central office switch. Bona Fide Retail Request Program Available Only in Pennsylvania 3. Confirm receipt of any completed request in writing to the customer and identify the service requested. 4. As part of any written confirmation, or in a subsequent written communication to the customer, provide the customer the applicable rate, the contract term, the status of the request and a term subscription agreement for execution. 5. Notify the customers in a community, within 30 days of receipt of a Bona Fide Request, of the expected date of the availability of the requesters service. B. When a Bona Fide Retail Request has been received that meets the requirements of the Act, Alltel shall provide the requested advanced service, or other reasonably comparable service having a bandwidth within 100 kilobits per second (KBPS) of the requested service, to the community as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 365 days of the date the requirements of the Act have been met or within the period approved by the Commission under paragraphs 1 and 2 below where: Alltel provides the requested advanced service to other customers in its service territory;
No service is available to the requesting customers from an alternative service provider at or within 100 kilobits per second (KBPS) of the data speed requested or such service is available at a price that exceeds the then current price offered by Alltel by more than 50%; The community is situated within the service territory of Alltel, and;
Alltel does not have to provide fiber to the customers premises to furnish the requested advanced service. 1. If, as the result of property acquisition, including acquiring rights of way, or new construction, Alltel is unable to provide the requested advanced service within a one year period, Alltel may petition the Commission for an extension of up to six months, with service upon the customer or customers who made the Bona Fide Retail Request and the Department if the department submitted the request on behalf of the customer or customers. The Commission may delegate its authority to rule on such petitions to a bureau Director or other appropriate employee who shall grant the petition for good cause shown. 2. Where the total number of Bona Fide Retail Requests received by Alltel or any of its affiliates that meet the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (4) exceed 40 requests in any 12 month period, or where there are more than 20 such requests that require property acquisition, including acquiring rights-of-way, or new Bona Fide Retail Request Program Available Only in Pennsylvania construction in any 12 month period, Alltel may provide a verified certification to the Commission that one or both of the previously stated criteria are met, with service upon the customer or customers who made the additional requests and upon the Department if the Department submitted any such requests. Upon receipt of the certification, the Commission, or the Commission through its designated staff, shall permit Alltel to extend the time for such deployments for a period of no more than 12 months unless the Commission determines an additional time period to be just and reasonable. If a deployment is extended, it shall be counted in determining the maximum number of deployments provided for in any 12 month period covering the month to which it is extended. 3. With regard to requests submitted under this program a Alltel retail customer may challenge the action of Alltel pursuant to section 701 (relating to complaints). 4. Qualifying business or businesses' requests for advanced services submitted by the Department that are provisioned through the Bona Fide Retail Request program shall be processed in accordance with section 3014(c) of the Act and shall be allocated 50% of the maximum number of annual deployments referenced in section 3014 (c)(6). Other requests shall be allocated 50% of the number of such deployments, as further provided in section 3014(d)(5) of the Act. 5. For qualifying business or businesses whose request for advanced services is determined by Alltel to be better processed outside of the Bona Fide Retail Request program, Alltel shall make a proposal to the requesting business or businesses to provide the requested advanced or broadband service, and subsequently shall provision such service. Alltel shall advise the Department and the business or businesses, within 30 days of the date the contract is signed, of the date by which the requested advanced or broadband service will be provided. Such date shall be not later than one year after the date the contract is signed, unless the business or businesses agree to a longer period, or Alltel obtains Commission approval of an extension under the same procedure set forth in section 3014 (c)(5). C. Alltel shall provide semiannual reports to the Commission and the Department of the number of requests for advanced services received during the reporting period by exchange cell and the action taken on requests meeting the requirements of section 3014 (c) of the Act. Bona Fide Retail Request Program Available Only in Pennsylvania D. Alltels BFRR shall continue through December 31, 2013 or such earlier date as Alltel achieves 100% broadband availability throughout its service territory. Individual Written Request for Advanced Services - Bona Fide Retail Request Program I, (print name of person or entity), seek advanced services pursuant to the Bona Fide Retail request Program (BFRR) of Alltel Pennsylvania, Inc. Describe the advanced service requested, including requested speed of service: Number of lines requested: Service address (street address, city/town, zip code): Phone number at service address: Designate name (if applicable): Contact address (customer or designate) (street address, city/town/ zip code): Contact phone number (customer or designate): Please indicate your acceptance of each statement below by placing your initials in the space provided. Initials : I verify that the information provided above is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. Initials : I verify that I have the authority to sign on my behalf and /or on behalf of any entity listed above. Initials : I agree to provide a written notice and update regarding the foregoing information in the event of a change of residence or change in customer account responsibility. Initials: I understand that to be considered a Bona Fide Retail Request, Alltel must receive written requests for a minimum of 50 retail access lines, or 25% of retail access lines within a community, whichever is less Initials: I commit to subscribe to the requested advanced service for a minimum of one (1) year subject to my agreement to the Companys price and terms. Alltel will provide written confirmation of its receipt of this Individual Request For Advanced Services to the contact address indicated above. Within 30 days of receipt of a qualified BFRR (see section I. C. preceding), Alltel will provide notification, to the contact address indicated above, of the expected date of the availability of the service requested including rates and terms in effect at that time. Submit this completed and signed form to: Alltel Pennsylvania, Inc., Attn: Donna French, Bona Fide Retail Request Program, 109 Crytzer Road, Kittanning, PA 16201 Signature of customer or authorized designate: Date: _________________

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