Telecommunications Reports presents . . . . . TR's State NewsWire
February 1, 2001 A.M. Edition

STATES
MISSOURI -- PSC declines to support SW Bell's market-entry bid
IDAHO -- Senate confirms nomination of Hansen to PUC
ILLINOIS -- Ameritech says business market is becoming more competitive
WYOMING -- Senate to examine bill requiring PSC to regulate directory
assistance
MINN. -- Bill would authorize placement of commercial equipment on state
property
GEORGIA -- BellSouth and IDS Telcom dispute interconnection agreement
UTAH -- Legislators take a look at using mobile phones while driving

LONG DISTANCE
MISSOURI
PSC declines to support SW Bell's market-entry bid

The Public Service Commission yesterday decided against supporting
Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.'s efforts to obtain FCC permission
provide in-region interLATA (local access and transport area) service in
Missouri at this time, Commissioner Kelvin Simmons told TR.  But the
application could be supported if SW Bell addresses the PSC's concerns,
he said.  The PSC plans to deliberate on the request again as early as
Feb. 6, although a final decision won't be issued at that time, Simmons
said.

The PSC's concerns with SW Bell's request include pricing,
interconnection agreements, access to network elements, unbundled local
loops, and unbundled local transport.  SW Bell intends to make changes
in those areas, taking the PSC's concerns into consideration, and is
confident that the PSC ultimately will approve the request, a SW Bell
representative told TR.  (Docket no. TO-99-227)

STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
IDAHO
Senate confirms nomination of Hansen to PUC

The Senate unanimously has approved Gov. Dirk Kempthorne's (R.)
nomination of Dennis S. Hansen (R.) to a second six-year term on the
Public Utilities Commission.  (1/17/01 a.m.)  Hansen, who was first
appointed to the commission by Gov. Phil Batt (R.), is also the PUC's
president.

Before appointment to the commission, Hansen was an accountant with
Monsanto Co. of Soda Springs and served in the state Senate from 1987 to
1995.

COMPETITIVE LOCAL ENTRY
ILLINOIS
Ameritech says business market is becoming more competitive

Ameritech-Illinois has asked the state Commerce Commission to reopen a
1998 case to allow the company to present additional information that
demonstrates the growth of competition for business customers.  In the
1998 case, Ameritech sought competitive classification of its business
rates throughout the state and residential rates for 19 exchanges.  In
1999 the ICC denied Ameritech's request, citing a lack of genuine
competition.

Ameritech says the ICC should reopen the case's record because the
company's total number of business lines in service has continued to
decline in absolute numbers.  Overall, Ameritech says, its total number
of business lines in service has declined by about 7% in the last two
years.

Ameritech says its new evidence relates only to the business services
classification.  The company notes that the growth in residential
service competition in the 19 downstate exchanges has been "less
robust."

An ICC spokesman noted that Ameritech holds 93% of all access lines in
its Illinois service territory.  (Docket no. 98-0860 - Illinois Commerce
Commission vs. Illinois Bell Telephone Co., Investigation into specified
competitive tariffs to determine proper classification of the tariffs
and to determine whether refunds are appropriate)

FUTURE OF REGULATION
WYOMING
Senate to examine bill requiring PSC to regulate directory assistance

The Senate Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions Committee
has received a bill that would require the Public Service Commission to
regulate directory assistance services under certain circumstances.  HB
51 would authorize the commission to require local exchange carriers to
make their listing information available to other directory service
providers.

The Joint Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions Committee
drafted the bill during the interim session.  The legislative staff
explained to TR that the measure was prompted by an incident in which a
local company was unable to reach an agreement with Qwest Corp. over
directory assistance rates.

Because of the dispute between the companies, customers' names weren't
included in the Qwest phone book, the staff said.  The PSC has no
authority to regulate directory assistance service, which was
deregulated by the Wyoming Telecommunications Act of 1995.  (10/16/00
a.m.)

The legislative staff said the bill could be discussed Feb. 6, at the
earliest.

WIRELESS
MINNESOTA
Bill would authorize placement of commercial equipment on state property

The House Governmental Operations and Veterans Affairs Policy Committee
is considering a bill to allow commercial wireless equipment to be
placed on state-owned lands, buildings, and other structures.

State agencies either would have to (1) charge a site use fee for the
value of the property or structure on which the equipment were placed or
(2) accept improvements to state-owned communications system facilities
or services provided by a commercial wireless service provider.

Rep. Thomas Bakk (D., District 6A) introduced HF 429.

SECTION 251/252
GEORGIA
BellSouth and IDS Telcom dispute interconnection agreement

BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., and IDS Telcom LLC are clashing over
several issues as they shape their new interconnection agreement.  IDS
recently asked the Public Service Commission to arbitrate the agreement.

One contentious issue is whether BellSouth should be permitted to use
the interconnection agreement to restrict its liability for negligent
acts and to require indemnification from IDS for negligence on
BellSouth's part that damages IDS customers.  BellSouth maintains that
liability for both companies should be restricted to a credit covering
the expense of the services or functions performed improperly.
Meanwhile, IDS argues that no restrictions should exist on liability or
indemnification.  BellSouth has agreed to exceptions for gross
negligence, fraudulent misrepresentation, and willful or wanton
misconduct, but the company won't concede to IDS' proposed exceptions
for negligence or negligent misrepresentation.

BellSouth and IDS also are disputing the issue of whether BellSouth must
offer combined network elements if the elements typically are combined
in BellSouth's network but aren't combined already at the location
requested by IDS.  BellSouth says it will offer IDS combined network
elements in accordance with the guidelines laid out in the federal
Telecommunications Act of 1996 and other applicable rules.  IDS argues
that BellSouth should be required to provide IDS with combined network
elements if those elements ordinarily are combined in BellSouth's
network, regardless of whether the elements already are combined at the
location in question.  (Docket no. 13318-U, In the Matter of Petition
for Arbitration of IDS Telcom, LLC, Pursuant to Section 252(B) of the
Communications Act of 1934)

WIRELESS
UTAH
Legislators take a look at using mobile phones while driving

Rep. Kory Holdaway (R., District 34) has introduced HB 182 to ban
drivers from using a telephone, computer, or fax machine while driving
on a highway.  The measure wouldn't apply to emergency and law
enforcement personnel acting in their official capacity, any person
during a medical emergency, or any person reporting a safety hazard.

Violators would be guilty of an infraction.  HB 182 awaits consideration
by the House Transportation Committee.


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