BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
                                                      
In the Matter of the Petition of 
NORTH COUNTY 
COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                                            
For Waiver of WAC 480-120-540, 
Terminating Access Charges



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	)	DOCKET UT-000601
		ORDER GRANTING WAIVER OF WAC 480-120-540, TERMINATING ACCESS CHARGES 

                                                                                
BACKGROUND
                  By petition filed April 21, 2000, in Docket UT-000601, North 
County Communications, Inc. (North County) requests a waiver of WAC 
480-120-540, Terminating access charges. The waiver request was brought before 
the Commission at its regularly scheduled open public meeting of June 16, 2000. 
The Commissioners, having been fully advised in the matter, and having 
determined the following order to be consistent with the public interest, 
directed the Secretary to enter the following order and related provisions. 
                 
DISCUSSION 
          North County is a facilities-based and resale telecommunications 
company. North County was registered and authorized to provide resold local and 
interexchange telecommunications services throughout the state of Washington in 
Docket UT-970958 and was classified as a competitive telecommunications company 
in Docket UT-991127.
                  On November 5, 1997, North County filed a tariff with the 
Commission that established rates for terminating switched access through 
concurrence with the switched access tariffs of U S WEST Communications, Inc. 
(U S WEST) and GTE Northwest Incorporated (GTE). In December 1998, WAC 
480-120-540 became effective. North County's terminating switched access rates 
do not comply with WAC 480-120-540.
                  WAC 480-120-540 only permits a local exchange company to 
include in its terminating switched access rates a charge for recovery of any 
costs for support of universal access to basic telecommunications service when 
authorized by the Commission. North County is not currently authorized to do 
so, nor has it ever demonstrated any universal access costs of the type 
solicited and examined in Docket UT-980311(a). 
                  In Docket UT-990307 the Commission granted a waiver of  WAC 
480-120-540 to five competitively classified local exchange carriers subject to 
conditions. Therefore, North County is also requesting a waiver of WAC 
480-120-540, at this time.
                  The Commission has the authority to impose conditions on our 
waiver of WAC 480-120-540 for North County, and we find it is reasonable and 
appropriate to do so in this instance. We will require North County to file 
price lists for terminating access service at rates not to exceed those charged 
by U S WEST and GTE in their respective service territories. The Commission 
notes that RCW 80.36.320(4) authorizes the Commission to "revoke any waivers it 
grants" and to "reclassify any competitive telecommunications company if the 
revocation or reclassification would protect the public interest."  Our action 
granting waiver of WAC 480-120-540 is an interim step, and we may revisit 
waiver of the rule upon consideration of any new universal service funding 
measures or programs.
        
ORDER
                  THE COMMISSION ORDERS That the request for waiver of  WAC 
480-120-540, Terminating access charges, by North County Communications, Inc., 
is granted as conditioned in the text of this Order. 
                  DATED at Olympia, Washington, and effective this 16th day of 
June, 2000.
                  WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
                                                              CAROLE J. WASHBURN
                                                              Secretary