BEFORE THE
WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION


WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND  )  DOCKET NO. UT-961638
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, )
                                                                )  ANSWER OF 
GTE TO
                                    Complainant,       )  PETITION FOR  
                                                                )  
RECONSIDERATION
                      v.                                       )  
                                                                )
U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC.  )
                                                             )
                                    Respondent.              )
                                                                        )

GTE’S ANSWER - 1
A:\961638.PAN
 GTE NORTHWEST INCORPORATED (“GTE”) opposes Staff’s Petition for 
Reconsideration in this proceeding.  Staff’s Petition should be denied for at 
least two reasons.
 First, Staff’s Petition suggests that universal service support can be 
considered independently of universal service obligations.  Staff does not 
appear to deny that the obligation to provide service in an area will impact 
universal service -- but nonetheless argues to defer consideration of those 
issues.  To the contrary, the Commission simply cannot fairly determine support 
for universal service without considering the require-ments generated by an 
obligation to provide service.  Simply put, in this regard, the Commission’s 
Order is entirely correct:
We agree with GTE’s suggestion that “it is in other proceedings in which the 
obligation provides service upon demand, and the costs generated by such an 
obligation, can be determined.”

The Fourth Supplemental Order Rejecting Tariff Filings, at 21.
 Second, the Staff’s Petition should be rejected because it elevates process 
over purpose.  The costs generated by an obligation to serve, and the manner in 
which those costs will be supported by universal service funds, are critical 
issues.  If Staff cannot accomplish this task by the currently scheduled March 
11, 1998 date, that date should be extended.  
 DATED this 4th day of February, 1998.
       GTE NORTHWEST INCORPORATED



                                                                     
       Timothy J. O’Connell
       Its Attorney
       1800 41st Street WA0105LE
       Everett, WA 98201
       Phone: (425) 261-5008
       Fax: (425) 258-9275