Dockets UT-970545, UT-981074, and UT-981587
February 10, 1999
Page 1

Agenda: February 10, 1999
Item:  

Dockets: UT-970545, UT-981074, and UT-981587
Company: U S WEST Communications, Inc.


Staff:  Tim Zawislak, Policy Research Specialist
  David Dittemore, Utilities Engineer
  Penny Hansen, Public Involvement Coordinator
  Glenn Blackmon, Assistant Director - Telecommunications


Recommendation:

1. Grant U S WEST Communications an Extension in Dockets UT-970545 and 
UT-981074 for implementation of the Colville to Hunters route, until December 
31, 1999.

2. Permit the U S WEST Communications filing in Docket Number UT-981587 to 
become effective February 12, 1999, with implementation of the new Extended 
Area Service (EAS) routes to occur on February 27, 1999, March 27, 1999, and 
June 19, 1999, as filed.


Discussion:

On December 18, 1998, U S WEST Communications, Inc. (U S WEST) filed proposed 
tariff revisions in Docket UT-981587 to comply with the Extended Area Service 
(EAS) settlement agreement ordered     Order Granting Petition for Waiver of 
Rule, dated September 17, 1998. during the Commission’s rulemaking proceeding 
in Dockets UT-970545     Docket UT-970545 is the Commission’s recent rulemaking 
which addresses minimum local calling areas. and UT-981074     Docket UT-981074 
is WITA, et al.’s, petition for waiver of the old EAS rule..

U S WEST, the state’s largest and most prominent local exchange carrier, is 
instrumental in completing and provisioning most of the two-way EAS routes 
agreed to.  As a party to the settlement agreement, U S WEST also has exchange 
areas which require expanded local calling to meet community needs.  A 
comprehensive list of the exchanges involved and associated implementation 
dates is included as Attachment 1 (which is a copy of U S WEST’s cover letter).

The proposed timing of U S WEST’s filing is consistent with the terms of the 
settlement agreement, with the exception of the requested extension waiver 
regarding the Colville to Hunters EAS route.  By letter dated, February 4, 
1999, U S WEST requested an extension based on the lack of facility 
availability through U S WEST’s Colville central office, at this time.  The 
facilities are required to keep the grade of service within satisfactory limits 
(ie. 1% blocking), as the level of traffic increases due to the removal of toll 
charges.  It is expected that CenturyTel of Washington and U S WEST will be 
able to implement the deferred route(s) by no later than December 31, 1999.

U S WEST has already secured cost recovery for the provision of its connecting 
areas through its filing approved on November 25, 1998, in Docket UT-981317.  
Customer rates will not be impacted as a result of these routes due to U S WEST’
s previous cost recovery filing.


Customer Comments:

The Commission has received no written comments regarding U S WEST’s filing 
since
the company hasn’t notified customers because there is no rate impact.  
Generally, staff expects customers to be pleased when they become aware of a 
larger local calling area with no local rate increase attached.


Conclusion:

Staff supports U S WEST’s new EAS routes because they comply with the 
settlement agreement and address situations where a strong community of 
interest has been demonstrated while keeping rates comparable and equitable 
across all of the company’s service territory.  The EAS routes will remedy 
exchange-wide problems that cause hardships by alleviating the need for the 
majority of subscribers to make daily toll calls to communicate within their 
local community.

Therefore, Staff recommends that the Commission permit this filing and grant 
the associated waiver request.


Attachment