HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 042 Draft 01 1994-1996COUNTY OF HAWAII . STATE OF HAWAII
~~
RESOLUTION N0. 42 95
(DRAFT 2 )
A RESOLUTION RELATING TO RURAL TELEPHONE SERVICE.
WHEREAS, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) Decision and Order No. 13626
determined that telephone service provided by GTE Hawaiian Telephone Company Inc.
(Hawaiian Tel) does not meet the reasonable convenience standazds in areas designated as rural
or non-base rate; and
WHEREAS, both the PUC Decision and Order No. 13626 and Hawaiian Tel's response
to Order 13679, which requires Hawaiian Te] to show cause as to why an alternative
telecommunications provider should not enter the mazket in rural Hawaii, cite the poor
infrastructure of subdivisions built before Ordinance 62, enacted in 1967, as the primary cause of
the inadequate telephone service in the rural portions of the County; and
WHEREAS, despite the infrastructure deficiencies in some of the County's subdivisions,
Hawaiian Tel's continued reference to poor County planning represents an extreme
simplification of the situation and an attempt by Hawaiian Tel to absolve itself of its
responsibility in the provision of inadequate phone service in rural Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 62, mentions the word telephone once, with respect to the
provision ofright-of--way space for utilities, and it should not be construed as requiring the
provision of telephone service, of telecommunication infrastructure, to subdivisions created after
1967; and
WHEREAS, many of the subdivisions in question do have much of the basic telephone
infrastructure, such as telephone poles and wiring, but the County has no jurisdiction to require
that the telephone service be provided to those subdivisions; and
WHEREAS, the power to regulate public utilities resides solely with the PUC as set forth
in the §269-6, H.R.S.; and
WHEREAS, many portions of rural Hawaii aze served by antiquated switching
equipment, which the County also has no authority to regulate, and that the continued reference
to poor planning and poor infrastructure can not account for the use of this antiquated equipment;
and
WHEREAS, the Island of Hawaii accounts for approximately seventy-four (74) percent
of the party lines in the state of Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, the development of small businesses and cottage industries in the rural areas
of the County, many of which face severe economic hazdship, is dependent on the use of
business equipment, such as faxes and modems, that require or would be enhanced by single line
service and digital switching; and
WHEREAS, the public safety is also jeopazdized by party line service because emergency
services such as enhanced 911 aze unavailable to those subscribers; and
WHEREAS, the Council believes universal telephone service should be defined as single
line service with digital switching.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE
COUNTY OF HAWAII that it takes exception with the continued use of Ordinance 62, be it by
Hawaiian Tel or the PUC, as the basis for rendering decisions which determine the causes of the
inadequate service provided in rural Hawaii County.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Council requests that any future decisions
rendered by the PUC regazding rural telephone service make no further reference to
Ordinance 62, as it constitutes a misrepresentation of the causes for the inadequate telephone
service, which does not meet the reasonable convenience standazds.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the PUC should make every effort to correctly
identify the cause, or causes, of the inadequate telephone service in rural azeas.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the County Clerk send copies of this resolution to
the Governor of the State of Hawaii, Ben Cayetano; the Chairman of the Public Utilities
Commission, Yukio Naito; and the President of GTE Hawaiian Telephone Company Inc. ,
Warren Haruki.
Dated: Hilo, Hawaii, this 15th day of March , 1995.
INTRODUCED BY:
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAII
COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawaii
Hilo, Hawaii
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by the
vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of
the County of Hawaii on March 5 - t 995
ATTEST:
OS l~e~
O ~E CH.KIRMAN & TRESIDING OFFICER
ROLL CALL VOTE
AYES NOES ABS EX
Arakaki }{
Bonk-Abramson X
Childs ){
De Lima X
Osorio }{
Rath X
Ray X
Smith X
6 2 1 0
Reference C-52, O8 RScDC -2
RESOLUTION NO. __ 2 (DRAFT 2