BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION




In the Matter of the Petition of


SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS 
COMPANY L.P.

For Waiver of WAC 480-120-540
Terminating Access Charges
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		DOCKET UT-010154
		
		
		
		ORDER GRANTING WAIVER OF WAC 480-120-540, TERMINATING ACCESS CHARGES
 
 BACKGROUND

By petition filed February 5, 2001, in Docket UT-010154, Sprint Communications 
Company L.P. (Sprint) 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 February 23, 2001. 

DISCUSSION

  Sprint is a facilities based telecommunications company.  Sprint is 
registered, classified as a competitive telecommunications company, and 
authorized to provide local and interexchange telecommunications services 
throughout the state of Washington.

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.  Sprint 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, Sprint 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 Sprint, and we find it reasonable and appropriate to do so in 
this instance.  We will require Sprint to file price lists for terminating 
access service at rates not to exceed those charged by Qwest Corporation, f/k/a 
U S WEST Communications, Inc., and Verizon Northwest Incorporated, f/k/a GTE 
Northwest Incorporated in their respective service territories.  The Commission 
notes that RCW 80.36.320(4) authorizes the Commission to Arevoke any waivers it 
grants@ and to Areclassify 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.

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.

 ORDER

THE COMMISSION ORDERS That the request for waiver of  WAC 480-120-540, 
Terminating Access Charges, by Sprint Communications Company L.P. is granted as 
conditioned in the text of this Order.

DATED at Olympia, Washington, and effective this 23rd day of February, 2001.
 
WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION





CAROLE J. WASHBURN, Secretary