November 7, 2002

The Michigan Public Service Commission today approved Drenthe Telephone Company's application to amend its license to provide basic local telephone service to include several telephone exchanges currently served by Ameritech Michigan, Verizon North Inc. and CenturyTel.  The additional exchanges include:  the Holland, Zeeland, Hudsonville, and Jamestown exchanges currently served by Ameritech Michigan, the Hamilton exchange currently served by Verizon North Inc. and the Borculo exchange currently served by CenturyTel.   Telephone exchanges are geographic boundaries that define a customer's local calling area.  Drenthe filed to amend its license on August 19, 2002.

The Commission concluded that the application is in the public interest.  The Commission conditioned the expansion of the license on compliance with the Commission's anti-slamming procedures, number portability provisions of the Michigan Telecommunications Act and the Commission's number reclamation process.  Failure to comply fully with these procedures may result in revocation of Drenthe's license or other penalties.  The expansion of the license is also conditioned upon providing service to customers in the added exchanges within a reasonable time, and failure to do so may result in revocation of the license.

Drenthe, headquartered in Zeeland, provides telephone service to about 790 customers.

The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Consumer and Industry Services.


Case No. U-13504

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