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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20071119_2101.pdfDECISION MEMORANDUM TO:CO MMISSI 0 NER RED FO RD CO MMISSI 0 NER SMITH COMMISSIONER KEMPTON COMMISSION SECRETARY LEGAL WORKING FILE FROM:CAROLEE HALL DATE:NOVEMBER 6, 2007 RE:APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO THE INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN QWEST CORPORATION ("QWEST") AND ELECTRIC LIGHTWAVE, INc.; CASE NO. USW-00-21. BACKGROUND Under the provision ofthe federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, interconnection agreements must be submitted to the Commission for approval. 47 US.C. ~ 252(e)(1). The Commission may reject an agreement adopted by negotiations only if it finds that the agreement: (1) discriminates against a telecommunications carrier not a party to the agreement; or (2) implementation ofthe agreement is not consistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity. 47 US.C. ~ 252(e)(2)(A). As the Commission noted in Order No. 28427, companies voluntarily entering into interconnection agreements "may negotiate terms, prices and conditions that do not comply with either the FCC rules or with the provision of Section 251 (b) or ( c). Order No. 28427 at 11 (emphasis in original). This comports with the FCC's statement that " state commission shall have authority to approve an interconnection agreement adopted by negotiation even if the terms of the agreement do not comply with the requirements of (Part 51). 47 C.R. ~ 51.3. BACKGROUND On October 17 2007, an Application between Qwest Corporation and Electric Lightwave Inc. was filed in Case No. USW-00-21. The original Agreement between the companies was approved by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission on October 11 , 2000. DECISION MEMORANDUM - 1 -NOVEMBER 6, 2007 ST AFF ANALYSIS This filing states that the amendment to this agreement is to provide for the inclusion of the Performance Assurance Plan ("PAP") and Performance Indicator Definitions ("PIDs ) contained in Qwest'Statement of Generally Available Terms and Conditions (SGAT). The Performance Assurance Plan is Exhibit K and the Performance Indicator Definitions is Exhibit B ofthe SGA The PIDs and PAP provides terms and conditions for wholesale agreements between Qwest, the Incumbent Local Exchange carrier ("ILECs ), and Competitive Local Exchange Carriers CLECs ) and is to provide meaningful and significant incentives to ensure Qwest provides service to its competitors at parity with the service it provides to itself. Staff has reviewed the Application in Case No. USW-00-21 and does not find any terms or condition changes to the PIDs or PAP that were previously approved by this Commission. The Companies are agreeing to incorporate modifications to PIDs that apply to the PAP and are made pursuant to section 16 of the PAP. Staff s review and consideration of the PAP and PIDs that are to be incorporated into the Agreement between the companies are not discriminatory or contrary to the public interest. Staff believes this filing is consistent with the public interest as identified in the pro-competitive policies of this Commission, the Idaho Legislature, and the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. Accordingly, Staff believes that the Agreement merits the Commission s approval. COMMISSION DECISION Does the Commission wish to approve this amended Interconnection Agreement that incorporates the PIDS and PAP as previously approved in the SGAT for Case No. US -00-21? i:udmemos/Interconnectirn AgreementsIUSW-OO-21 QWEST and ELECTRIC LIGHTWAVE, INC. DECISION MEMORANDUM - 2 -NOVEMBER 6, 2007