Georgetown Consulting Inc, the commission’s technical consultant, recommended the approval of PTI’s request for “use certification.”
Commission Chairwoman Viola Alepuyo said yesterday the funds will only be used for provisioning, maintaining and upgrading of facilities and services consistent with federal law.
PTI receives monies from interstate universal service funds based on the per line support provided to the incumbent local exchange carrier, Micronesian Telecommunications Corp., which it operates.
Georgetown said MTC receives monies from interstate universal service funds under two of the Federal Communications Commission’s high cost programs: interstate access support and local switching support.
Georgetown, in a report, states that each eligible telecommunications carrier receiving interstate access support must self-certify that the support will be used only for the provision, maintenance and upgrading of facilities and services.
The FCC has long recognized that switches owned by small local exchange carrier serving fewer than 50,000 access lines could not operate at the same level of economic efficiency as larger local exchange carrier.
PTI received $327,000 in local switching support funding in 2010, Georgetown said.
Georgetown said PTI agreed to submit to the commission on an annual basis by July 31 records and documentation which include progress in meeting its service quality improvement plans, number of requests for service from potential customers, number of complaints per 1,000 handsets, its ability to function in emergency situation, a certification that the company is in compliance with CTIA quality standards among other things.
Georgetown said it reviewed all of the statements and certifications contained in PTI’s submission and the progress report in its five-year plan for infrastructure growth and enhancement.
“We believe PTI has met all of the criteria set forth in the FCC’s rules and the stipulation between PTI and [Georgetown],” Georgetown said.
