980728.docx

DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:COMMISSIONER HANSEN
COMMISSIONER NELSON
COMMISSIONER SMITH
MYRNA WALTERS
TONYA CLARK
DON HOWELL
STEPHANIE MILLER
DAVE SCHUNKE
JOE CUSICK
WAYNE HART
RITA SCOTT
DAVID SCOTT
WORKING FILE
FROM:WELDON STUTZMAN
DATE:JULY 28, 1998
RE:CASE NO.  USW-T-98-2; APPROVAL OF INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN U S WEST AND RECONEX
On March 19, 1998, U S WEST Communications and Sterling International Funding, Inc. dba RECONEX (RECONEX) filed a joint Application for approval of an interconnection agreement arrived at through voluntary negotiations.  The agreement provides for the resale of U S WEST basic local exchange services and intraLATA toll by RECONEX and is submitted for approval pursuant to Section 252(e) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
On April 1, 1998, the Commission issued a Notice of Joint Petition and Notice of Modified Procedure to process the Application.  No comments were filed during the comment period.
Staff has reviewed the interconnection agreement and recommends that the Commission approve it.  Section 252(e)(2) of the Telecommunications Act provides that a Commission may reject an agreement reached through voluntary negotiations only if the agreement discriminates against a telecommunications carrier not a party to the agreement, or the implementation of the agreement is not consistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity.  Staff believes approval of the agreement is consistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity, and that the agreement does not discriminate against other telecommunications carriers.  Staff therefore recommends approval of the interconnection agreement.
Commission Decision
Should the interconnection agreement between U S WEST and RECONEX, providing for the resale of U S WEST services by RECONEX, be approved?

Weldon Stutzman
vld/M:USW-T-98-2.ws2