20001004Comments.doc

JOHN R. HAMMOND
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone]
IDAHO BAR NO. 5470

Street Address for Express Mail:
472 W. WASHINGTON
BOISE, ID 83702-5983

Attorney for the Commission Staff

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE JOINT APPLICATION
OF QWEST CORPORATION AND DPI TELE-
CONNECT, L.L.C. FOR APPROVAL OF AN INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO 47 U.S.C. § 252(e).
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CASE NO. QWE-T-00-5

COMMENTS OF THE
COMMISSION STAFF

COMES NOW the Staff of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, by and through its Attorney of record, John R. Hammond, Deputy Attorney General, in response to Order No. 28509 the Notice of Joint Application and Notice of Modified Procedure in Case No. QWE-T-00-5 issued on September 14, 2000, submits the following comments.
On September 5, 2000, Qwest Corporation, formerly U S WEST Communications, Inc. and DPI Teleconnect, LLC filed a Joint Application requesting approval of an interconnection agreement. The Joint Application states that the agreement was reached through voluntary negotiations without resort to mediation or arbitration and is submitted for approval pursuant to Section 252(e) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

STAFF ANALYSIS
Staff reviewed the language of this Agreement and did not find any terms or conditions that Staff would consider discriminatory. Staff found the terms and conditions of the agreement to be similar to other resale agreements submitted by Qwest/U S WEST and previously approved by this Commission. Staff concurs with the Companies claim that the Agreement is consistent with the pro-competitive policies of the Commission, the Idaho Legislature, and the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and therefore is consistent with the public interest.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Commission approve the Interconnection Agreement as filed.

DATED at Boise, Idaho, this day of October 2000.

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John R. Hammond
Deputy Attorney General

Technical Staff: Wayne Hart

WH:JH:i:umisc/comments/qwet005.jhwh
STAFF COMMENTS 1 OCTOBER 4, 2000