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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20060309final_order_no_29993.pdfOffice of the Secretary Service Date March 9, 2006 BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF VERIZON NORTHWEST INC. FOR CASE NO. VZN-O6- APPRO V AL OF AN INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT AND AMENDMENT FOR THE STATE OF IDAHO PURSUANT TO 47 U.C. 252(e) IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF QWEST CORPORATION AND XO CASE NO. QWE-O2- COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, INc. FOR APPROV AL OF AN AMENDMENT TO AN INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO 47 U.c. ~ 252(e) IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF QWEST CORPORATION AND AMERICAN CASE NO. USW-OO- FIBER NETWORK, INc. FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT FOR ORDER NO. 29993 THE STATE OF IDAHO PURSUANT TO 47 c. ~ 252(e) In these cases, the Commission is asked to approve amendments to existing and previously approved Interconnection Agreements and a new Interconnection Agreement. With this Order the Commission approves the Agreements. BACKGROUND Under the prOVlSlons of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 interconnection agreements must be submitted to the Commission for approval. 47 US.C. 9 252(e)(1). The Commission may reject an agreement adopted by negotiations only if it finds that the agreement: (1) discriminates against a telecommunications carrier not a party to the agreement; or (2) implementation of the agreement is not consistent with the public interest convenience and necessity. 47 U.C. 9 252(e)(2)(A). As the Commission noted in Order No. 28427, companies voluntarily entering into interconnection agreements "may negotiate terms prices and conditions that do not comply with either the FCC rules or with the provision of Section 251(b) or (c)." Order No. 28427 at 11 (emphasis in original). This comports with the FCC's statement that "a state commission shall have authority to approve an interconnection ORDER NO. 29993 agreement adopted by negotiation even if the terms of the agreement do not comply with the requirements of (Part 51)." 47 C.R. 951.3. THE CURRENT APPLICATIONS 1. Verizon Northwest Inc. and Commpartners, LLC (Case No. VZN-06-. On February 22, 2006, Verizon filed an Application for approval of an Interconnection Agreement and a TRO amendment to that Agreement. The Agreement includes terms and conditions for interconnection, ancillary services, collaboration, and resale of telecommunications services between the parties. 2. Qwest Corporation and XO Communications Services, Inc. (Case No. QWE- 02-. On February 28, 2006 , Qwest filed an Application to amend an existing Agreement approved by the Commission on February 29, 2002. In this filing, Qwest incorporates the Triennial Review Remand Order (TRRO) to the original Agreement. 3. Qwest Corporation and American Fiber Network, Inc. (Case No. USW-00-17) On February 28, 2006, Qwest filed two Applications to amend an existing Agreement approved by the Commission on August 8, 2000. The first filing incorporates the Triennial Review Order (TRO) and Triennial Review Remand Order (TRRO). The second application incorporates Qwest Digital Subscriber line services. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff has reviewed the Applications and does not find any terms or conditions that it considers to be discriminatory or contrary to the public interest.Staff believes that the Applications are consistent with the pro-competitive policies of this Commission, the Idaho Legislature, and the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. Accordingly, Staff recommended Commission approval of the amendments to the Agreements. COMMISSION DECISION Under the terms of the Telecommunications Act, interconnection agreements must be submitted to the Commission for approval. 47 U.C. 9252(e)(I). The Commission s review is limited. The Commission may reject an agreement adopted by negotiation only if it finds that the agreement discriminates against a telecommunications carrier not a party to the agreement or implementation of the agreement is not consistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity. Id. Based upon our review of the Applications and the Staff's recommendation , the Commission finds that the Agreements are consistent with the public interest, convenience and ORDER NO. 29993 necessity and do not discriminate. Therefore, the Commission finds that the amendments to the Agreements should be approved. However, approval of these amendments to the Agreements does not negate the responsibility of either of the parties to these Agreements to obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity if they are offering local exchange services or to comply with Idaho Code 99 62-604 and 62-606 if they are providing other non-basic local telecommunications services as defined by Idaho Code 9 62-603. ORDER IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the new and amended Interconnection Agreement of Verizon Northwest Inc. and Commpartners, LLC, Case No. VZN-06-3, is approved. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the amended Interconnection Agreement of Qwest Corporation and XO Communications Services, Inc., Case No. QWE- T -02-, is approved. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Interconnection Agreement of Qwest Corporation and American Fiber Network, Inc., Case No. USW - T -00-, is approved. THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order 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. Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See Idaho Code 9 61- 626. ORDER NO. 29993 DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 9+"- day of March 2006. ATTEST: ~i~ mission Secretary O:QWE-02-USW-00-- VZN-06- ORDER NO. 29993 MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER