interexchange telecommunications services in the service territories of Pacific Bell Telephone Company d/b/a AT&T California (AT&T), Frontier California Inc. (Frontier California), Citizens Telecommunications Company of California, Inc. d/b/a Frontier Communications of California (Frontier Communications), and Consolidated Communications of California Company (Consolidated, formerly SureWest Telephone). ComNet proposes to provide local exchange services to business and residential customers via prepaid debit/calling cards. ComNet’s principal place of business in California is located at 700 S. Flower Street, Suite 950, Los Angeles, California 90017. ComNet is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CITIC Telecom International Holdings, Limited, and is publicly traded on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 1883). On October 3, 2016, the Commission’s Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division (CPED) filed a protest to the application on the following grounds: 1. ComNet has been operating in California without authority in violation of Public Utilities Code (Pub. Util. Code) §§ 885, 1001 and/or 1013; and 2. ComNet failed to disclose in its application that its telecommunications licenses had been revoked by California and Michigan, a possible Rule 1.1 violation. 2. Jurisdiction Public Utilities Code (Pub. Util. Code) § 216(a) defines the term “Public utility” to include a “telephone corporation,” which in turn is defined in Public Utilities Code Section 234(a) as “every corporation or person owning, controlling, operating, or managing any telephone line for compensation within this state.”
interexchange telecommunications services in the service territories of Pacific Bell Telephone Company d/b/a AT&T California (AT&T), Frontier California Inc. (Frontier California), Citizens Telecommunications Company of California, Inc. d/b/a Frontier Communications of California (Frontier Communications), and Consolidated Communications of California Company (Consolidated, formerly SureWest Telephone). ComNet proposes to provide local exchange services to business and residential customers via prepaid debit/calling cards. ComNet’s principal place of business in California is located at 700 S. Flower Street, Suite 950, Los Angeles, California 90017. ComNet is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CITIC Telecom International Holdings, Limited, and is publicly traded on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 1883). On October 3, 2016, the Commission’s Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division (CPED) filed a protest to the application on the following grounds: 1. ComNet has been operating in California without authority in violation of Public Utilities Code (Pub. Util. Code) §§ 885, 1001 and/or 1013; and 2. ComNet failed to disclose in its application that its telecommunications licenses had been revoked by California and Michigan, a possible Rule 1.1 violation. 2. Jurisdiction Public Utilities Code (Pub. Util. Code) § 216(a) defines the term “Public utility” to include a “telephone corporation,” which in turn is defined in Public Utilities Code Section 234(a) as “every corporation or person owning, controlling, operating, or managing any telephone line for compensation within this state.”
193213977.docx