BEFORE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI

 

 

In Re: Interconnection Agreement By and         )

Between Mercury Voice and Data, LLC d/b/a    )

Suddenlink Communications and                      )         File No. TK-2014-0033

Embarq Missouri, Inc., d/b/a CenturyLink         )

Pursuant to Sections 251 and 252                    )

Of the Telecommunications Act of 1996           )

 

 

ORDER DIRECTING NOTICE, SETTING

INTERVENTION DEADLINE, AND MAKING

SUDDENLINK COMMUNICATIONS A PARTY

 

Issue Date:  August 15, 2013                                 Effective Date:  August 15, 2013

 

 

Syllabus: This order provides notice of this application to interested parties, establishes a deadline for intervention and for requesting a hearing, and joins the other party to the interconnection agreement, Mercury Voice and Data, LLC, d/b/a Suddenlink Communications (“Suddenlink Communications”), as a party to this proceeding.

On August 12, 2013, Embarq Missouri, Inc., d/b/a CenturyLink (“CenturyLink”) filed an application with the Commission for approval of a negotiated interconnection agreement with Suddenlink Communications under the provisions of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.  Embarq Missouri, Inc., d/b/a CenturyLink states that there are no unresolved issues and that the agreement complies with Section 252(e) of the Act in that it is consistent with public interest, convenience and necessity, and not discriminatory to nonparty carriers. 

Although Suddenlink Communications is a party to the agreement, it did not join in the application.  Because Suddenlink Communications is a necessary party to a full and fair adjudication of this matter, the Commission will add Suddenlink Communications as a party to this case.

The Act provides that an interconnection or resale agreement must be approved unless the state commission finds that the agreement discriminates against a telecommunications carrier not a party to the agreement, or that implementation of the agreement is not consistent with the public interest, convenience, and necessity.[1]  Section 252(e)(4) of the Act provides that if the Commission has not approved an agree­ment within 90 days after submission, the agreement shall be deemed approved.  The Commission finds that proper persons shall be allowed 15 days from the issuance of this order to file a motion for hearing.  The Commission also finds that notice of this application shall be sent to all interexchange and local exchange telecommunications companies.

THE COMMISSION ORDERS THAT:

1.          The Commission’s Data Center shall send notice to all interexchange and local exchange telecommunications companies.

2.          Mercury Voice and Data, LLC, d/b/a Suddenlink Communications is made a party to this case.

3.          Any party wishing to intervene or request a hearing shall do so by filing a pleading no later than August 30, 2013, with:

Morris L. Woodruff, Secretary

Missouri Public Service Commission

Post Office Box 360

Jefferson City, Missouri 65102

 

Or by using the Commission’s electronic filing and information service.

 

4.          The Staff of the Commission shall file a recommendation advising either approval or rejection of this agreement and giving the reasons therefor no later than September 16, 2013.

5.          This order shall become effective upon issuance.

 

BY THE COMMISSION

 

 

 

 

Morris L. Woodruff

Secretary

 

 

Morris L. Woodruff, Chief Regulatory

Law Judge, by delegation of authority

pursuant to Section 386.240, RSMo 2000.

 

Dated at Jefferson City, Missouri,

on this 15th day of August, 2013.



[1] 47 U.S.C. § 252(e).