20001128_ws.doc

DECISION MEMORANDUM

TO: COMMISSIONER HANSEN
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
JEAN JEWELL
RON LAW
LOUANN WESTERFIELD
TONYA CLARK
DON HOWELL
RANDY LOBB
JOE CUSICK
DOUG COOLEY
WORKING FILE
FROM:
DATE:
NOVEMBER 28, 2000 RE: CASE NO. QWE-T-00-04; QWEST TARIFF ADVICE ADJUSTING ITS EQUAL ACCESS RECOVERY CHARGE FOR NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN IDAHO

In response to requirements brought about by the federal Telecommunications Act, Qwest implemented intrastate, intraLATA toll dialing parity within its service territory in July 1999. As part of the implementation process, Qwest requested approval of an equal access and network reconfiguration charge (EANRC), which the Commission approved in Order No. 28072. The EANRC is designed to recover the costs associated with implementing toll dialing parity and is charged on minutes of use to all providers of interLATA long-distance service. The Commission in Order No. 28072 required Qwest to report its implementation costs within one year and allow for a true-up of the EANRC in the event recovery by Qwest was too high or too low.
On August 1, 2000, Qwest filed its proposed revisions to the EANRC in both its northern and southern Idaho service areas. Qwest proposes to reduce the EANRC for north Idaho from $.00186 to $.001338 per minute, and increase the charge from $.001861 to $.003560 per minute in its southern Idaho territory. Qwest proposed an effective date of September 1, 2000, for the revised EANRC charges.
On August 30, 2000, the Commission issued a Notice of Filing, Notice of Right to Intervene, and Order suspending the proposed effective date and providing interested parties an opportunity to intervene. A Petition to Intervene was filed by AT&T Communications of the Mountain States, Inc., which was granted by the Commission.
The Staff has conducted discovery and obtained information regarding the toll dialing parity implementation charges incurred by Qwest. Since intervening, AT&T has not actively participated in the case. Based on the information obtained by Staff and its review of the proposed changes to the EANRC, Staff believes it is appropriate to process Qwest’s Application by Modified Procedure. Staff therefore recommends that the Commission issue a Notice of Modified Procedure and invite written comments to complete the review of Qwest’s proposed changes to its EANRC.
Commission Decision
Should the Commission issue a Notice of Modified Procedure to process Qwest’s Application for adjustment to its equal access recovery charge related to implementation of intrastate, interLATA toll dialing parity?

vld/M:QWE-T-00-04_ws

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