BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

In the Matter of the Petition of           ) 
                                                                ) Docket No. 
UT-000222
PETITION OF U S WEST    )
COMMUNICATIONS, INC.,     )
      ) ORDER GRANTING
For Waiver of Administrative Rules  ) WAIVER OF RULES
........................................................................) 

BACKGROUND

  On February 17, 2000, U S WEST Communications, Inc. (USWC) filed a petition 
with the Commission requesting waiver of the requirement of WAC 480-120-139(5) 
pertaining to offering preferred carrier freezes to local exchange customers.  

  The waiver will apply to only USWC’s local exchange service.   The petition 
does not request a waiver of  the requirement to offer the preferred carrier 
freeze for intralata and interlata services. 

  WAC 480-120-139(5), adopted November 30, 1999, and effective March 1, 2000, 
requires  local exchange companies to offer a preferred carrier freeze to all 
of their customers for local exchange, interlata and intralata services.  USWC 
requests a waiver for local exchange services only because it does not have the 
processes and technology in place to implement local carrier freezes in a 
consistent and cost-effective manner. 

  The Commission has determined that competition in the local exchange market 
in USWC’s service territory is fairly limited to businesses within densely 
populated areas.  There is very little opportunity for residential customers in 
particular to choose another local exchange carrier.  Additionally, the 
Commission has received no complaints from any customer within USWC’s service 
area regarding an unauthorized change to a customer’s local exchange carrier.   


FINDINGS

  THE COMMISSION FINDS:

  1.  U S WEST Communications, Inc., is a public service company subject to the 
jurisdiction of this Commission under the provisions of Chapter 80.36 RCW. 

  2.  It appears, upon investigation, that the request for waiver of Commission 
rules by U S WEST Communications, Inc., is reasonable and consistent with the 
public interest and should therefore be granted until March 10, 2001. 


Docket No. UT-000222 Page 1

O R D E R

  1.  After the effective date of this Order and subject to the conditions 
hereof, the petition of U S WEST Communications, Inc., filed with the 
Commission requesting waiver of WAC 480-120-139(5) is hereby granted until 
March 10, 2001. 

  2.  This order shall in no way affect the authority of this Commission over 
rates or service or accounts, evaluations, estimates or determination of cost 
or any matters whatsoever that may come before it, nor shall anything herein be 
construed as an acquiescence in any estimate or determination of costs or any 
valuation of property claimed or asserted. 

  DATED at Olympia, Washington, and effective this 10th day of March, 2000. 

  WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION 



      MARILYN SHOWALTER, Chairwoman



      RICHARD HEMSTAD, Commissioner 



      WILLIAM R. GILLIS, Commissioner