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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20051014final order no 29892.pdfOffice of the Secretary Service Date BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION October 14 2005 IN THE MATTER OF PAGEDATA'S PETITION FOR ARBITRATION OF INTERCONNECTION RATES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND RELATED ARRANGEMENTS WITH QWEST CO RPO RA TI ON PURSUANT TO SECTION 252(b) ) OF THE FEDERAL TELECOMMUNICATIONSACT. IN THE MATTER OF WA VESENT LLC' PETITION FOR ARBITRATION OF INTERCONNECTION RATES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND RELATED ARRANGEMENTS WITH QWEST CORPORATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 252(b) OF THE FEDERAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT. CASE NO. GNR- T -04- CASE NO. GNR-04- ORDER NO. 29892 In March 2004, Joseph B. McNeal on behalf of PageData and WaveSent, LLC (collectively referred to as the "Pagers ) filed separate Petitions for Arbitration requesting that the Commission arbitrate unresolved issues necessary to complete new interconnection agreements between the Pagers and Qwest Corporation. The Pagers requested that the Commission arbitrate approximately 30 unresolved interconnection issues. Because the Pagers Petitions raised nearly identical issues, the Commission consolidated the Petitions into a single proceeding pursuant to Rule 247. IDAPA 31.01.01.247. In Order No. 29463 , the Commission recognized that the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires each telecommunications carrier to "interconnect directly or indirectly with the facilities and equipment of other telecommunications carriers.Order No. 29463 at 2 quoting 47 D.C. ~ 251(a). Congress envisioned that carriers would enter into "interconnection agreements" through voluntary negotiation or through arbitration. "To encourage voluntary negotiations, a request for arbitration cannot be filed before the 135th day or after the 160th day from when the incumbent (local exchange carrier) receives a request to negotiate an interconnection agreement." Id. quoting Order No. 29140 at 9; 47 D.C. ~ 252(b)(l). 1 PageData filed its Petition for Arbitration on March 23 2004, and WaveSent filed its Petition on March 25, 2004. PageData and Wave Sent amended their Petitions on April 12, 2004. ORDER NO. 29892 Qwest filed a response to the Petitions and requested that the Commission dismiss the Petitions on several grounds. Qwest noted that the parties began interconnection negotiations in May 2004. Qwest Response and Motion to Dismiss at 5. In August and December 2004, Staff inquired about the status of the interconnection negotiations. The parties have not filed any interconnection agreements to replace their current agreements. Given the passage of time and the lack of activity, the Commission on its own motion finds it reasonable to administratively close these cases without prejudice. On September 19, 2005, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Order indicating its intent to administratively close these cases. The Notice gave parties an opportunity to submit comments to the Proposed Order within 21 days of the service date of the Notice. IDAPA 31.01.01.312.No comments or exceptions to the Proposed Order were received. Accordingly, the Commission adopts the Proposed Order. ORDER IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that these cases be closed. 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 Case Nos. GNR-04- and GNR- T -04-6 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 Case Nos. GNR-04-5 and GNR-04-6. Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See Idaho Code ~ ~ 61-626 and 62-619. ORDER NO. 29892 DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this if fA. day of October 2005. MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER ATTEST: Je D. Jewell Co mission Secretary bls/O:GNR-O4-05 GNR-O4-06 dh4 ORDER NO. 29892