20020520_133.html

./20020520_133_files/filelist.xml  DECISION MEMORANDUM  TO:       COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER          COMMISSIONER SMITH          COMMISSIONER HANSEN          JEAN JEWELL          DON HOWELL          JOHN HAMMOND          RANDY LOBB          JOE CUSICK          CAROLEE HALL          WAYNE HART          BIRDELLE BROWN          LYNN ANDERSON          BEV BARKER          LOU ANN WESTERFIELD          RON LAW          GENE FADNESS          TONYA CLARK          WORKING FILE FROM:    DOUG COOLEY DATE:    MAY 9, 2002 RE:     STAFF REVIEW OF INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS TOINTERCONNECTION AGREEMENTS; CASE NOS. QWE-T-02-8, USW-T-97-10,VZN-T-02-4. BACKGROUNDUnder the provisions of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996,interconnection agreements must be submitted to the Commission forapproval.  47 U.S.C. § 252(e)(1).  The Commission may reject anagreement adopted by negotiations only if it finds that the agreement:(1) discriminates against telecommunications carrier not a party to theagreement; or (2) implementation of the agreement is not consistent withthe public interest, convenience and necessity.  47 U.S.C. §252(e)(2)(A).  As the Commission recently noted in Order No. 28427,companies voluntarily entering into interconnection agreements "maynegotiate terms, prices and conditions that do not comply with eitherthe FCC rules or with the provisions with Section 251(b) or (c)."  OrderNo. 28427 at 11 (emphasis original).  This comports with the FCC'sstatement that, "a state commission shall have authority to approve aninterconnection agreement adopted by negotiation even if the terms of the agreement do not comply with the requirements of [Part 51]."  47 C.F.R. § 51.3. THE CURRENT APPLICATIONSThe Commission has been asked to approve three amendments to existinginterconnection agreements.  The amendments are discussed in greaterdetail below.1.  Qwest Corporation and Level 3 Communications, LLC.  (Case No.QWE-T-02-8).  In this Application the parties request that theCommission approve Level 3's adoption of the interconnection agreementbetween Qwest and Bridgeband Communications, Inc.  (See Order No. 28940)2.  Qwest Corporation and AT&T Wireless  (Case No. USW-T-97-10).  Inthis Application the parties request that the Commission approve anamendment to the existing interconnection agreement.  This amendmentadds terms and conditions for Internet Service Providers (ISP).3.  Verizon Northwest, Inc. and Level 3 Communications, LLC.  (Case No.VZN-T-02-4).  In this Application the parties request that theCommission approve Level 3's adoption of the interconnection agreementbetween Verizon Northwest and Ciera Network Systems, Inc.  (See OrderNo. 28965) STAFF ANALYSISThe Staff has reviewed these Applications and did not find that anyterms or conditions are discriminatory or contrary to the publicinterest.  Staff believes that these agreements are consistent with thepro-competitive policies of this Commission, the Idaho Legislature, andthe federal Telecommunications Act.  Accordingly, Staff believes thatthese agreements merit the Commission's approval. COMMISSION DECISIONDoes the Commission approve the Applications for Approval of theInterconnection Agreements listed above?          _______________________________        Doug Cooley  intcn dec memo 15i/udmemos/intcn dec memo 15