WSR 99-11-068

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION

COMMISSION

[ Commission Docket No. UT-990261-- Filed May 18, 1999, 1:10 p.m. ]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Commission Docket No. UT-990261. Telecommunications carrier-to-carrier service standards for the interface of interconnecting local exchange carriers.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 80.01.040(4), 80.04.160.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) are entering markets previously served exclusively by incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs). In many instances, the CLEC is offering service with elements provided by the ILEC. CLEC customers may not receive service as quickly as the ILEC’s own customers because of the required carrier-to-carrier interface. Standards may need to be developed to assure that ILEC and CLEC customers receive service equally. This may involve discussions about the need for electronic communications standards or other means by which nondiscriminatory service may be assured.

Rule discussions are likely to explore operating support systems (OSS), placing and filling orders, trunk blocking, repair, and related issues. Parties may raise other concerns, as well. The rule making inquiry also will consider whether any of the performance and reporting requirements imposed on U S WEST in the MCImetro complaint case (Docket UT-971063) should be applied more broadly, so as to cover incumbents other than U S WEST and CLECs other than MCImetro.

Purpose: The purpose of this inquiry is to explore means of optimizing competition among local exchange carriers by assuring nondiscriminatory service to consumers in which relationships among the carriers involved in providing service are invisible to consumers.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Applicable federal laws and regulations will be considered in this docket and the commission will monitor those provisions and pursue consistency with them unless good reason exists for differences.

Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study ; and the commission will pursue consensus with affected groups.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting the Secretary, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, P. O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250, (360) 664-1234, fax (360) 586-1150. Persons may submit comments, as specified below, or may ask to be included in the commission’s list of interested persons for the proceeding. The commission will post on its Internet web site at <http://www.wutc.wa.gov> all comments that it receives in digital format and a schedule and other information about this rule making.

WRITTEN COMMENTS: Written comments in response to the CR-101 from persons interested in the subject matter of this proposed rule making may be filed with the commission secretary, referencing Docket No. UT-990261, not later than June 11, 1999.

All commenters are asked, but not required, to file an original and ten copies of their written comments. The commission also requests, but does not require, that comments be provided on a 3 1/2 inch IBM formatted high-density disk, in WordPerfect version 6.1, 7, or 8, labeled with the docket number of this proceeding, the date, the commenter’s name, and type of software used. Interested persons may also send written comments by electronic mail to <records@wutc.wa.gov>. The commission may offer additional opportunities to provide written comments. Interested persons may file additional written comments in response to any such invitation.

NOTICE OF WORKSHOP: A workshop will be held on July 16, 1999, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., in the Commission’s Hearing Room, Room 206, Second Floor, Chandler Plaza, 1300 South Evergreen Park Drive S.W., Olympia, WA. The commission’s teleconference bridge line will be available for this workshop. A limited number of teleconference ports are available and will be assigned one to an organization, on a first come first served basis. Persons wishing to attend via the teleconference bridge line must contact Jennifer Watsek at (360) 664-1139 no later than 5:00 p.m., July 13, 1999. Questions may be addressed to Rebecca Beaton at (360) 664-1287 or e-mail at <rbeatonl@wutc.wa.gov>.


NOTICE



TO CONTINUE RECEIVING NOTICES AND INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RULE MAKING --The commission wants to ensure its mailings are sent to persons who are interested in the topic and want to receive that information. ANY PERSON WHO COMMENTS will continue to receive notices and information. If you do not submit comments but wish to remain on the mailing list for this rule making, please advise the records center by any one of the following methods: (1) Send a note with your name, address (or a copy of your mailing label), and telephone and fax numbers referencing Docket No. UT-990261, and the words "Please keep me on the mailing list"; or (2) e-mail your name, address, telephone and fax numbers, referencing Docket No. UT-990261, and the words "Please keep me on the mailing list" to records@wutc.wa.gov. Please note that all information in the mailings will be accessible through the commission's Internet web site at <http://www.wutc.wa.gov/>. THOSE PARTIES WHO DO NOT RESPOND MAY NOT RECEIVE FURTHER MAILINGS OR INFORMATION ON THE RULE MAKING.

May 18, 1999

Carole J. Washburn

Secretary

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