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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20070809_2007.pdfDECISION MEMORANDUM TO:COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER COMMISSIONER SMITH COMMISSIONER REDFORD COMMISSION SECRETARY LEGAL WORKING FILE FROM:CAROLEE HALL DATE:JULY 30, 2007 RE:JOINT APPLICATION BETWEEN QWEST CORPORATION ("QWEST" AND MATREAX, INC. ("MATREAX") FOR APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COMPANIES. CASE NO. QWE-04-31. BACKGROUND Under the provision of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, interconnection agreements must be submitted to the Commission for approval. 47 US.C. 9252(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 US.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 agreement adopted by negotiation even if the terms of the agreement do not comply with the requirements of (Part 51). 47 C.R. 9 51.3. CURRENT APPLICATION Owest and Matreax s Application for Approval of the Amendment to the Interconnection Agreement ("Amendment"), which was approved by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission on December 8, 2004 (the "Agreement"). Case No. OWE- T -04-31. DECISION MEMORANDUM - 1 -JULY 30, 2007 The Application between Qwest and Matreax states that the parties are jointly filing and that the Amendments were reached through voluntary negotiations without resort to mediation. The filing amends the Exhibit A ofthe Agreement by adding Interconnection Distribution Frame (ICDF) Collocation rates, as set forth in the Exhibit A attached with this filing. STAFF ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION Staffhas reviewed the Application for the Amendment and does not find any terms or conditions that it considers to be discriminatory or contrary to the public interest. Staff believes the Amendments are consistent with the pro-competitive policies of this Commission, the Idaho Legislature, and the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. Accordingly, Staff believes that the Amendments merit the Commission s approval. COMMISSION DECISION Does the Commission agree? i :udmemos/ Adopting Interconnection Agreements/QWE- T -04-31 Qwest and Matreax, Inc DECISION MEMORANDUM - 2 -JULY 30, 2007