September 16, 2002

The Michigan Public Service Commission today approved, with conditions, Heart of West Michigan United Way’s June 28, 2002 application requesting that it be designated as the 2-1-1 community resource information and referral answering point for Kent County.  HWMUW will provide operation of the 2-1-1 telephone number 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  The Commission concluded that its approval is provisional, in part, due to the Federal Communication Commission’s ability to recall the 2-1-1 number in 2005.  HWMUW’s application did not request any rate increase for customers.

A notice of opportunity to comment was published which resulted in four parties filing comments with the Commission.  The comments were generally in support of the application or suggested clarification of technical issues.  The Commission also received written endorsements from the Michigan Alliance of Information and Referral Systems and the Kent County Family & Children’s Coordinating Council, the state-endorsed multipurpose collaborative body in Kent County, as required by the Michigan Telecommunications Act.  Amendments to the MTA in July 2000, granted the MPSC authority to assign the abbreviated dialing number 2-1-1 to community resource information and referral answering points for various geographic areas within Michigan.

Today’s order finds that:

• Geographic boundaries of the 2-1-1 service shall be based on the 19 telephone exchanges, rather than county boundaries;
• The provision of 2-1-1 service shall initially be determined between the HWMUW and the telephone carriers;
• All wireline carriers will be required to provide 2-1-1 service;
• Payphone providers and wireless carriers are encouraged to work with all parties to provide their customers with access;
• Changes in the geographic area of the 2-1-1 service must be approved by the Commission.

HWMUW is the second agency to be designed as a 2-1-1 community resource information and referral answering point.  On May 16, 2002, the Commission designated the Volunteer Center of Battle Creek, Inc. as the answering point for Calhoun County.

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

Case No. U-13460