20000808_ws.doc

August 8, 2000

Mary S. Hobson
Stoel Rives LLP
101 S. Capitol Blvd, Suite 1900
Boise ID 83702-5958

Re: U S WEST’s Statement of Generally Available Terms; Case No. USW-T-00-15

Dear Ms. Hobson:

U S WEST Communications, Inc., now Qwest, on June 10, 2000, filed a statement of generally available terms (SGAT) as described by Section 252(f) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. U S WEST’s SGAT provides terms and conditions for interconnection, access to unbundled network elements, ancillary services, and resale of U S WEST’s telecommunications services. Pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 252(f)(3), the Commission is required to complete its review of an SGAT within 60 days or permit the statement to take effect. Permitting an SGAT to take effect at the end of 60 days does not preclude the Commission from subsequently reviewing the statement or from approving or disapproving its terms at a later date.

At its decision meeting on August 3, 2000, the Commission determined to permit U S WEST’s SGAT to take effect without Commission review or approval. However, allowing the statement to take effect does not mean the Commission determined its terms to be in compliance with the requirements of law, nor should U S WEST rely on the statement as evidence that its terms have been approved or that its terms satisfy all requirements of federal law. As Qwest indicated in its reply comments filed in this case, the terms of the SGAT “are still subject to review and modification through the Section 271 workshop process and/or through formal review by the Commission in an SGAT proceeding at some later date.”

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Weldon B. Stutzman
Deputy Attorney General
Cc: Myrna Walters, Commission Secretary
Interested Parties
Vld:L:Hobson_ws