Docket Number:  
Date
Page 1
Agenda Date: January 22, 1997           
Item Number:

Docket:   UT-970010
Company Name: U S WEST Communications, Inc.

Staff:  Tom Spinks, Regulatory Consultant

Recommendation:

Issue a Complaint and Order Suspending Tariff Revisions in Docket UT-970010.

Discussion:

On January 3, 1997, U S WEST Communications, Inc., filed tariff revisions to 
introduce what it terms an Interconnection Cost Adjustment Mechanism (ICAM) 
transition fee.  The company states that “The ICAM transition fee recovers 
specially mandated interconnection costs associated with systems, network 
arrangements, and business office processes.”  The costs are proposed to be 
recovered through either an exchange access line surcharge of $.76 per month or 
by direct monthly charges to competitors ranging from $9,000 to $144,000 per 
month depending on the whether the competitive local exchange service provider 
(CLEC) was an interconnector, unbundler, or reseller.  

The cover letter states that the company does not object to the inclusion of 
this Advice in the generic interconnection proceeding, Docket UT-960369 et al.  
Staff believes the issue of consolidation should be addressed in that 
proceeding by the parties.  The Commission has put the generic cost proceeding 
on an expedited schedule with a limited number of witnesses. Therefore, 
expanding the scope of that proceeding may not be appropriate.

The Commission received a letter of January 24, 1997, from a coalition of 
companies including TCG, Shared Communication Services, Northwest Payphone 
Association, NEXTLINK, MFS, Metronet, MCImetro, ELI and AT&T urging the 
Commission to reject the ICAM filing outright.

Staff recommends the Commission issue a Complaint and Order Suspending Tariff 
Revisions in Docket UT-970010.