**DA 00-1162**

**COMMENTS INVITED ON DEPRECIATION RATE PRESCRIPTION PROPOSED**

**FOR GTE- HAWAII AND GTE NORTHWEST**

### **ASD 00-27** 

###  

### **Released: May 26, 2000** 

#### Comment Date: June 19, 2000 

#### Reply Comment Date: July 3, 2000 

####  

The Common Carrier Bureau invites comments on proposed depreciation
rates for two GTE companies. GTE submitted studies to the Commission in
support of its depreciation rates. The staffs of the state public
utility commissions and the Common Carrier Bureau reviewed the carriers'
submissions. The carriers' studies and corresponding staff reviews were
discussed in correspondence, telephone conversations, conference calls,
and a three-way meeting. GTE thereafter formally filed proposed rates
and revised studies that contained the data required by Section 43.43 of
the Commission's rules.

The table below shows the two GTE companies and the affected
jurisdictions. The table also lists the proposed expenses and composite
rates for each jurisdiction, the current expenses and composite rates
(developed using the currently prescribed depreciation rates), and the
percentage change in expenses (proposed vs. current).

## **SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES IN ANNUAL DEPRECIATION EXPENSES** 

##  **BY JURISDICTION** 

+---------------+--------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|               |        | **An |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | nual |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | Depr |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | ecia |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | tion |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | Exp  |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | ense |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | and  |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | C    |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | ompo |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | site |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | Ra   |      |      |      |      |      |
|               |        | te** |      |      |      |      |      |
+---------------+--------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
|               |        | **C  |      | **Pr |      | **   |      |
|               |        | urre |      | opos |      | Prop |      |
|               |        | nt** |      | ed** |      | osed |      |
|               |        |      |      |      |      | Chan |      |
|               |        |      |      |      |      | ge** |      |
+---------------+--------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| **Carrier-J   | **     | **E  | **P  | **E  | **P  | **E  | **P  |
| urisdiction** | Invest | xpen | erce | xpen | erce | xpen | erce |
|               | ment** | se** | nt** | se** | nt** | se** | nt** |
|               |        |      |      |      |      |      |      |
|               | **(\$  | **(  | **(  | **(  | **(  | **(  | **(  |
|               | 000)** | \$00 | %)** | \$00 | %)** | \$00 | %)** |
|               |        | 0)** |      | 0)** |      | 0)** |      |
+---------------+--------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| GTE -- Hawaii | 1,8    | 122  | 6.8  | 124  | 6.9  | 1    | 1.2  |
|               | 05,753 | ,688 |      | ,131 |      | ,443 |      |
+---------------+--------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| GTE           |        |      |      |      |      |      |      |
| Northwest:    |        |      |      |      |      |      |      |
+---------------+--------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Idaho         | 3      | 25   | 6.8  | 25   | 6.9  | 356  | 1.4  |
|               | 75,800 | ,559 |      | ,915 |      |      |      |
+---------------+--------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Oregon        | 9      | 63   | 6.4  | 67   | 6.8  | 3    | 5.6  |
|               | 88,034 | ,492 |      | ,051 |      | ,559 |      |
+---------------+--------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Washington    | 2,1    | 146  | 6.7  | 152  | 7.1  | 6    | 4.7  |
|               | 65,975 | ,069 |      | ,866 |      | ,797 |      |
+---------------+--------+------+------+------+------+------+------+

Interested parties may file comments no later than **June 19, 2000,**
with the Secretary, FCC, 445 12^th^ Street, S.W., Room TW-A325,
Washington, DC 20554. Replies to these comments should be filed no later
than **July 3, 2000**. Comments should reference File No. ASD 00-27. A
copy of each pleading should be sent to Fatina K. Franklin Chief,
Reporting Management and Analysis Branch, Accounting Safeguards
Division, Common Carrier Bureau, FCC, 445 12^th^ Street, S.W., Room
6-B145, Washington, DC 20554 and to the Commission's contractor for
public service records duplication, International Transcription
Services, Inc. ("ITS"), 1231 20^th^ Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036.
Copies of GTE's initial 2000 depreciation rate study submissions, the
Common Carrier Bureau staff\'s preliminary reports on these submissions,
the depreciation rate filings and other data supporting the proposed
rates are available for public inspection and copying during regular
business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445
12^th^ Street, SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. These documents
may also be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor,
International Transcription Service, Inc. (ITS), 1231 20th Street, NW,
Washington, D.C. 20036, telephone 202-857-3800, and facsimile
202-857-3805.

Parties may also file comments using the Commission's Electronic Comment
Filing System ("ECFS"). Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as
an electronic file via the Internet to
[http://www.fcc.gov/ecfs.html]{.underline}. Generally, only one copy of
an electronic submission must be filed. If multiple docket or rulemaking
numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, however, commenters
must transmit one electronic copy of the comments for each docket or
rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the
transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, Postal
Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number.
Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get
the instructions for filing e-mail comments, commenters should send an
e-mail to [ecfs@fcc.gov,]{.underline} and should include the following
words in the body of the message" get form \<your e-mail address\>". A
sample form and directions will be sent in reply.

We will treat this proceeding as a permit-but-disclose proceeding for
purposes of the Commission\'s *ex parte* rules. *See generally* 47
C.F.R. § 1.1200-1.1216. For additional information contact Rick
Robinson, Accounting Safeguards Division, Common Carrier Bureau, at
202-418-0824.

**FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION**