COMMISSION
WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND       )
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION,     )  Docket No. UT-970766
                               )
          Complainant,         )  Volume 9
                               )  Pages 404 - 460
          vs.                  )
                               )
U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC., )  
                               )
          Respondent.          )
-------------------------------)
          A pre-hearing conference in the above matter 
was held on December 2, 1997 at 11:45 a.m. at 1300 
South Evergreen Park Drive Southwest, Olympia, 
Washington, before Administrative Law Judges TERRENCE 
STAPLETON and C. ROBERT WALLIS.

          The parties were present as follows:
          U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. by LISA 
ANDERL, Senior Attorney, 1600 7th Avenue, Room 3206, 
Seattle, Washington 98191 (via bridge).
 
          FOR THE PUBLIC, ROBERT F. MANIFOLD  
Assistant Attorney General, 900 Fourth Avenue, Suite 
2000, Seattle, Washington 98164.

          WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION 
COMMISSION STAFF, by GREGORY TRAUTMAN, Assistant 
Attorney General, 1400 South Evergreen Park Drive 
Southwest, Olympia, Washington 98054.

          AT&T, by MARIA ARIAS-CHAPLEAU, Attorney at 
Law, 1875 Lawrence Street, Suite 1575, Denver, 
Colorado 80202 (via bridge). 

Cheryl Macdonald, CSR 
Court Reporter

                APPEARANCES (Cont'd.)

          MCI, by ROGELIO PENA, Senior Attorney, 707 
17th Street, Suite 3600, Denver, Colorado 80202 (via 
bridge).

          SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY L.P., by 
RICHARD GOLDBERG, Attorney at Law, 1850 Gateway Drive, 
Seventh Floor, San Mateo, California 94404 (via 
bridge).

          TRACER, by ARTHUR BUTLER, Attorney at Law, 
5450 Two Union Square, 601 Union Street, Seattle, 
Washington 98101 (via bridge).
                P R O C E E D I N G S
           JUDGE WALLIS:  Let us be on the record, 
please.  This is a pre-hearing conference in the 
matter of WUTC vs. U S  WEST Communications Inc. 
docket No. 970766.  This is December 2, 1997, and we 
are in the offices of the Utilities and Transportation 
Commission in Olympia pursuant to due and proper 
notice to all interested persons.  Our purpose for 
this pre-hearing conference is to address specific 
matters that were identified in the notice and also 
matters as to which all of the participants are 
present in the hearing room.
           Let's begin by taking appearances.  I would 
state for the record that my name is Bob Wallis, and I 
am one of the presiding law judges in this proceeding.  
The other presiding judge, His Honor Judge Stapleton, 
is present in the room and with that let's begin with 
the company asking for appearances.  
           MS. ANDERL:  This is Lisa Anderl 
representing U S  WEST Communications, Inc.
           MS. ARIAS-CHAPLEAU:  Maria Arias-Chapleau 
on behalf of AT&T Communications.
           MR. PENA:  Rogelio Pena on behalf of MCI.
           MR. GOLDBERG:  Richard Goldberg on behalf 
of Sprint.
           MR. BUTLER:  Arthur A. Butler on behalf of 
TRACER.  
           MR. TRAUTMAN:  Greg Trautman on behalf of 
Commission staff.  
           MR. MANIFOLD:  Rob Manifold on behalf of 
the people of the state.  
           MS. ANDERL:  Your Honor, I had a ve