RICHMOND — The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is seeking comments and requests for a hearing regarding a request by Verizon for a waiver of the SCC’s rule governing the company’s handling of out-of-service trouble reports. Typically, these trouble reports are initiated when customers call to report they are without telephone service.

On a monthly basis, the rule requires Verizon to clear no less than 80 percent of the reports the company receives from customers within 24 hours. The rule requires that 95 percent of such trouble reports be cleared within 48 hours.

Verizon seeks a temporary waiver of the rule and proposes to work with the staff of the Commission to study and develop a new standard for clearing trouble reports. Verizon’s request was filed on May 10. Verizon is Virginia’s largest provider of local exchange telephone service.

Also on May 10, the SCC’s staff filed a motion for a “rule to show cause” requesting that sanctions be imposed against Verizon for its failure to comply with the rule that Verizon wishes to be waived (PUC-2007-00040).

Written comments on the Verizon request must be submitted by July 3, 2007. All correspondence should be sent to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118, and refer to case number PUC-2007-00041.

Interested persons desiring to submit comments electronically may do so at the SCC’s website: www.scc.virginia.gov/case. Click on the PUBLIC COMMENTS/NOTICES link and then the SUBMIT COMMENTS button for case number PUC-2007-00041.

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Case number: PUC-2007-00041 - Verizon request for waiver of rule