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4 <br /> • <br /> NORTH CAROLINA <br /> PUBLIC STAFF;` <br /> UTILITIES COMMISSION - <br /> January 9, 1987 <br /> The Honorable Robert 0. Wells, Chairman <br /> North Carolina Utilities Commission <br /> Post Office Box 29510 <br /> Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0520 <br /> Re: Docket No. P-55, Sub 879 <br /> • <br /> Request by Southern Bell Telephone and <br /> Telegraph Company to conduct EAS Poll <br /> Dear Chairman Wells: <br /> This is in response to the letter dated December 31, 1986, from Carl <br /> Swearingen, Assistant Vice President of Southern Bell , concerning <br /> Extended Area Service between the Raleigh-Durham Airport and Chapel Hill <br /> and between the Airport and Durham. The Public Staff is aware of the <br /> expressed needs of business subscribers at the Airport and supports <br /> Southern-Bell in its desire to meet those needs. Nevertheless, we do not <br /> believe that Southern Bell 's request to poll its customers using the EAS <br /> matrix proposed in Docket No. P-55, Sub 870, is appropriate or justified. <br /> As an alternative, we recommend that the Commission direct both Southern <br /> . Bell and General Telephone Company (which serves Durham and is also <br /> involved) to conduct cost studies and to do so expeditiously. If the <br /> resulting increases are not de minimis, meaningful polling can then <br /> • <br /> proceed. <br /> Our concerns with Southern Bell 's request are as follows. First of <br /> all , . the Commission has postponed consideration of the proposed matrix <br /> pending the outcome of generic investigation into the manner in which EAS <br /> is implemented in North Carolina in Docket No. if-100, Sub 89. It would <br /> be altogether premature to poll customers on the basis of rates which <br /> have not been and may never be approved. No one, including Southern <br /> Bell , knows whether or not the matrix rates accurately reflect the costs <br /> that would be incurred in providing EAS between the Airport and the <br /> Chapel Hill exchange. <br /> If the proposed matrix were used for polling purposes, it is <br /> virtually certain that subscribers in the Chapel Hill exchange would <br /> reject the EAS because of the increase in rates. The Commission would <br /> Robert P.Gruber,Executive Director <br /> P.O.Box 29520• Raleigh,North Carolina 27626-0520. 919 733-2435 <br /> An Equal Opportunity,Affirmative Action Employer <br />