19990211Order No 27913.doc

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE JOINT APPLICATION OF AT&T COMMUNICATIONS OF THE MOUNTAIN STATES, INC. AND GTE NORTHWEST INCORPORATED FOR APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT FOR INTERCONNECTION PURSUANT TO 47 U.S.C.  252(e).
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ORDER NO. 27913

On December 10, 1998, AT&T Communications of the Mountain States Inc. (AT&T) and GTE Northwest Incorporated (GTE) filed an Application for approval of an interconnection agreement arrived at through voluntary negotiations. The Agreement is an agreement for Exchange and Billing of Terminating Traffic and is submitted for approval pursuant to 47 U.S.C.  252(e) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the Act).
Section 252(e)(2) of the Act directs that a state Commission may reject an agreement reached through voluntary negotiations only if the Commission finds that
(i) the agreement (or portions thereof) discriminates against a telecommunications carrier not a party to the agreement; or

(ii) the implementation of such agreement or portion is not consistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity.

The parties assert that the Agreement does not discriminate against other telecommunication carriers and that it is consistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity.
On January 15, 1999, the Commission issued a Notice of Joint Petition and Notice of Modified Procedure to process the petition. No written comments were filed during the comment period.
Staff reviewed the agreement between the parties to determine that it is consistent with the requirements of the Telecommunications Act, and recommends approval of the agreement. Based on the recommendation of the Staff, we find that the agreement between AT&T and GTE should be approved.

O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Interconnection Agreement between AT&T Communications of the Mountain States, Inc. and GTE Northwest Incorporated is approved. Terms of the agreement that are not already in effect shall be effective as of the date of this Order.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order (or in issues finally decided by this Order) or in interlocutory Orders previously issued in these Case No. GTET988 may petition for reconsideration within twenty-one (21) days of the service date of this Order with regard to any matter decided in this Order or in interlocutory Orders previously issued in these Case Nos. GTET988. Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See Idaho Code  61626.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this day of February 1999.

DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT

RALPH NELSON, COMMISSIONER

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary

bls/O:gtet988.ws2

ORDER NO. 27913 -1-

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
February 11, 1999