Certification of Telecommunication Companies. (a) (1) Certification Required. Any telecommunications company interested in providing or operating a telecommunications service in the Commonwealth shall request, obtain, and maintain a valid certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Commission. Certification is not required for any telecommunications company interested in providing or operating an information service, as that term is defined in the Federal Communications Act of 1934. (2) The Commission shall grant certification to a telecommunications company if it determines that, aside from complying with the established criteria, certification is consistent with the public interest. When Acting upon a request, the Commission may grant certification in full or in part and may impose such conditions and terms as it determines to be reasonably necessary for achieving the purposes hereof. (b) Modifications, Suspensions, and Revocations. A certification granted by the Commission pursuant to provisions of this article may be modified, suspended, or revoked by the Commission for just cause after notice and opportunity for hearing. (c) Authorization for Discontinuation or Cessation of Services. (1) No telecommunications company may discontinue, reduce, or diminish its provision of telecommunications services unless it requests and obtains a valid authorization from the Commission for said discontinuation, reduction, or diminishment. (2) The Commission shall adopt regulations specifying the form, content, procedure, and criteria for filing requests for such authorizations and for providing the public with the opportunity to express itself thereon. Said procedure shall, without its being understood as a limitation, include the publication of notices notifying the public about said requests. When acting upon requests for discontinuation, cessation, reduction, or diminishment of a telecommunications service, the Commission shall consider the reasons on which the request is based together with the consequences of a social nature and public interest that may result from its decision. The Commission may grant or deny the request in full or in part, or impose such conditions on every total or partial authorization as it deems reasonably necessary for achieving the purposes hereof. (d) Registration of Interstate and International Communications Companies. Any telecommunications company that provides interstate or international telecommunications services between the Commonwealth and other places outside the Commonwealth shall file all authorizations granted by the Federal Communications Commission to provide said service with the Commission within thirty days following the commencement of said service, or a certified statement from the Federal Communications Commission that said authorization is not required. It shall also file the name, address, and telephone number of the person to whom complaints about such services must be directed. (e) Existing Franchises. Any existing telecommunications franchise that has obtained a valid certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Com-
monwealth Telecommunications Commission shall continue in full force and effect unless expressly changed, repealed or abrogated by legislation or act of the Commission. The Commission shall make such administrative changes as are necessary to conform these to the Commission’s practices and procedures. Source: PL 15-35, § 2 (8457), modified. Commission Comment: The Commission deleted figures that were a mere repetition of words in subsection (d) above pursuant to its authority by 1CMC § 3806.