19990719.doc

DECISION MEMORANDUM

TO: COMMISSIONER HANSEN
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
MYRNA WALTERS
RON LAW
TONYA CLARK
LYNN ANDERSON
DON HOWELL
STEPHANIE MILLER
JOE CUSICK
WAYNE HART
WORKING FILE

FROM: CHERI C. COPSEY

DATE: JULY 19, 1999

RE: REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND COMPUTER BUSINESS SCIENCES, INC.; CASE NO. USW-T-99-11.

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND BRIDGEBAND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; CASE NO. USW-T-99-12.

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF A TYPE 1 PAGING INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND JOSEPH B. MCNEAL DBA PAGE DATA; CASE NO. USW-T-99-13.

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO AN INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND FRETEL COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; CASE NO. USW-T-99-14.

On June 15, 1999, U S WEST Communications, Inc. and Computer Business Sciences, Inc. filed a Joint Application for approval of a negotiated wireline interconnection agreement between U S WEST and Computer Business. 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.
On July 9, 1999, U S WEST Communications, Inc. and BridgeBand Communications, Inc. filed a Joint Application for approval of a negotiated wireline interconnection agreement between U S WEST and BridgeBand. 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.
On July 9, 1999, U S WEST Communications, Inc. and Joseph B. McNeal DBA Page Data filed a Joint Application for approval of a Type 1 Paging negotiated interconnection agreement between U S WEST and Page Data. 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.
On July 15, 1999, U S WEST Communications, Inc. and Fretel Communications, LLC filed a Joint Application for approval of a negotiated wireline interconnection agreement between U S WEST and Fretel. 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.
BACKGROUND
Under the terms of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, interconnection agreements and amendments to those agreements must be submitted to the Commission for approval. 47 U.S.C. §252 (e)(1). The Commission may reject an agreement adopted by negotiation only if it finds that the agreement discriminates against a telecommunication carrier not a party to the agreement or implementation of the agreement is not consistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity. 47 U.S.C. §252 (e)(2)(A). If the Commission does not act to approve or reject the agreement within 90 days after its submission, the agreement is deemed approved. 47 U.S.C. §252 (e)(4). The Commission’s decision is not reviewable by the state courts. Id.
Staff recommends that each of the Joint Applications for approval of interconnection agreements be processed by Modified Procedure.

Commission Decision:
Should the Joint Applications of U S WEST and Computer Business Systems, U S WEST and BridgeBand, U S WEST and Page Data and U S WEST and Fretel for approval of their respective interconnection agreements be processed by Modified Procedure?

Cheri C. Copsey

Staff: Wayne Hart

M:uswt9911_cc.doc

DECISION MEMORANDUM 2