20061101final_order_no_30174.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
November 1 2006
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF
CENTURYTEL OF THE GEM STATE, INC.,
CENTURYTEL OF IDAHO, INe. AND 1-800-
RECONEX, INe. FOR APPROVAL OF AN
INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT
PURSUANT TO 47 U.e. ~252
CASE NO. CGS-06-
CEN- T -06-
ORDER NO. 30174
In this case, the Commission is asked to approve a newly negotiated Interconnection
Agreement. With this Order the Commission approves the Application.
BACKGROUND
Under the prOVlSlons of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996
interconnection agreements must be submitted to the Commission for approval. 47 u.S.C. 9
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 of the agreement is not consistent with the public interest
convenience and necessity. 47 u.S.C. 9 252(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 "a 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.F.R. 951.3.
THE APPLICATION
On October 20 2006, CenturyTel of the Gem State, Inc. and CenturyTel of Idaho
Inc. filed an Application for approval of the interconnection agreement with 1-800-Reconex, Inc.
In this filing, the parties request Commission approval of an agreement that includes terms and
conditions for interconnection, ancillary services, and resale of telecommunications services.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff reviewed the Application and does not find any terms or conditions that it
considers to be discriminatory or contrary to the public interest. Staff believes that the
Application is consistent with the pro-competitive policies of this Commission, the Idaho
ORDER NO. 30174
Legislature, and the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. Accordingly, Staff recommended
Commission approval of the Application.
COMMISSION DECISION
Under the terms of the Telecommunications Act, interconnection agreements must be
submitted to the Commission for approval. 47 U.c. 9252(e)(1). The Commission s review is
limited. The Commission may reject an agreement adopted by negotiation only if it finds that
the agreement discriminates against a telecommunications carrier not a party to the agreement or
implementation of the agreement is not consistent with the public interest, convenience and
necessity. Id. Based upon our review of the Application and the Staffs recommendation, the
Commission finds that the Agreement is consistent with the public interest, convenience and
necessity and does not discriminate. Therefore, the Commission finds that the Application
should be approved. However, approval of the Application does not negate the responsibility of
any of the parties to the Agreement to obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
ifthey are offering local exchange services or to comply with Idaho Code 9962-604 and 62-606
if they are providing other non-basic local telecommunications services as defined by Idaho
Code 9 62-603.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Interconnection Agreement of Century Tel of the
Gem State, Inc., CenturyTel ofldaho, Inc. and 1-800-RECONEX, Inc., Case Nos. CGS-06-
and CEN-06-, is approved.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order 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. Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for
reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See Idaho Code 9 61-
626.
ORDER NO. 30174
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this / 5"1-
day of November 2006.
MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
O:CGS- T-06-0 1- CEN- T-O6-0 1- cg
ORDER NO. 30174