28252.doc

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE JOINT APPLICATION OF GTE NORTHWEST INCORPORATED  AND CHOCTAW COMMUNICATIONS, INC. DBA SMOKE SIGNAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT FOR INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO 47 U.S.C. § 252(e). )
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CASE NO. GTE-T-99-7

ORDER NO. 28252

A joint Application was filed November 15, 1999 by GTE Northwest Incorporated (GTE) and Choctaw Communications, Inc. dba Smoke Signal Communications (Smoke Signal) for approval of an interconnection agreement. The interconnection agreement submitted by the parties is a resale agreement to enable Smoke Signal to resell GTE services and provides access to Smoke Signal to GTE’s unbundled network elements. On November 23, 1999, the Commission issued a Notice of Joint Application and Notice of Modified Procedure. During the comment period, written comments were filed only by the Commission Staff. Staff recommends approval of the interconnection agreement as filed.
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.
Staff reviewed the agreement between the parties to determine that it is consistent with the requirements of the Telecommunications Act. Based upon our review of the record, including the recommendation of the Staff, we find that the agreement between GTE Northwest Incorporated and Choctaw Communications, Inc. dba Smoke Signal Communications should be approved.

O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the interconnection agreement between GTE Northwest Incorporated and Choctaw Communications, Inc. dba Smoke Signal Communications 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 this Case No. GTE-T-99-7 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 this Case No. GTE-T-99-7. Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See Idaho Code § 61-626.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this day of January 2000.

DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

PAUL KJELLANDER, COMMISSIONER

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary

vld/O:GTE-T-99-7_ws2

ORDER NO. 28252 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
January 14, 2000