Mont. PSC decided to open generic inquiry into line extension rul...
Mont. PSC decided to open generic inquiry into line extension rules and cost recovery policies. Agency acted as result of CenturyTel application for line extension to serve 24 potential customers in new housing development. Project would require about 20…
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miles of cable, and CenturyTel proposed recovering $500,000 cost through surcharge on intrastate terminating access. Questions by staff and other carriers on cost recovery plan prompted PSC to order generic inquiry before ruling. CenturyTel withdrew its application until PSC completed inquiry. Meanwhile, PSC set Jan. 9 for forum with state’s CLECs to discuss their experiences operating in Mont. At least 4 CLECs have expressed interest in forum -- AT&T, Montana Wireless, New Edge Networks, TouchAmerica. PSC plans to hire outside facilitator to conduct forum, probably person from Liberty Consulting Group because it has been facilitator for 7-state collaboration on Qwest’s compliance with non-OSS-related items on Sec. 271 long distance entry checklist. PSC also set Nov. 19 deadline for comments on its preliminary finding that Qwest had met Telecom Act checklist items #5 (CLEC access to unbundled transport) and item #6 (CLEC access to unbundled switching). PSC proposed adopting list of recommendations by Liberty Consulting relating to items 5 and 6, which were made following series of workshops and comment-reply cycles. Consultant recommended that Qwest shouldn’t be obligated to construct new SONET high- speed network facilities for CLECs and said it had opened its advanced intelligent network functions sufficiently to comply with Telecom Act’s requirements.