USWT9923.WSW.doc

WELDON STUTZMAN
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone]
IDAHO BAR NO. 3283

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

Attorney for the Commission Staff

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE JOINT APPLICATION OF U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND NEW EDGE NETWORK, INC. (dba NEW EDGE NETWORKS) FOR APPROVAL OF AN INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO 47 U.S.C. (252(e). )
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CASE NO. USW–T-99-23

COMMENTS OF THE COMMISSION STAFF

COMES NOW the Staff of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, by and through its Attorney of record, Weldon B. Stutzman, Deputy Attorney General, in response to Order No. 28169, the Notice of Joint Application and Notice of Modified Procedure in Case No. USW-T-99-23 issued October 1, 1999 submits the following
On September 10, 1999, U S WEST Communications, Inc. (U S WEST), and New Edge Networks, Inc. (New Edge), a competitive local exchange service company, submitted a Joint Application for approval of a negotiated Interconnection Agreement for Wireline Interconnection in accordance with Section 252(e) of the Federal Telecommunications Act. The Companies indicated the Agreement had been reached through voluntary negotiations, and claimed the Agreement is consistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity. They requested the Commission approve the agreement without a hearing or intervention by other parties.

STAFF ANALYSIS:
Staff reviewed the terms and conditions of the Agreement, which are essentially the same as those contained in the U S WEST-Covad Agreement previously approved by this Commission, and does not find any of the terms or conditions to be discriminatory. As the Agreement is the result of voluntary negotiations, and is not discriminatory, staff does not believe the Agreement is contrary to the public interest, convenience or necessity.

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

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Weldon Stutzman

Technical Staff: Wayne Hart

WH:va:word:u:umisc/comments/uswt9923.wsw
COMMENTS OF THE
COMMISSION STAFF 1 OCTOBER 20, 1999