2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers › Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities › Part 8. Montana Telecommunications Act › 69-3-834. Duty to interconnect

69-3-834. Duty to interconnect.
(1) The purpose of this section is to implement specific provisions of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, Public Law 104-104.
(2) (a) Each telecommunications carrier shall perform the duties enumerated in 47 U.S.C. 251(a).
(b) Each local exchange carrier shall perform the duties enumerated in 47 U.S.C. 251(b).
(c) In addition to the duties provided for in subsection (2)(b), each incumbent local exchange carrier shall perform the duties enumerated in 47 U.S.C. 251(c).
(3) (a) Except under the circumstances set forth in subsection (4), the provisions of subsection (2)(c) do not apply to a rural telephone company until:
(i) the company has received a bona fide request for interconnection, services, or network elements; and
(ii) the commission determines under subsection (3)(b) that the request is not unduly economically burdensome, is technically feasible, and is consistent with 47 U.S.C. 254 (other than 47 U.S.C. 254(b)(7) and (c)(1)(D)).
(b) The party making a bona fide request of a rural telephone company for interconnection, services, or network elements shall submit a notice of its request to the commission. The commission shall conduct an inquiry for the purpose of determining whether to terminate the exemption provided by subsection (3)(a). Within 120 days after the commission receives notice of the request, the commission shall terminate the exemption if the request is not unduly economically burdensome, is technically feasible, and is consistent with 47 U.S.C. 254 (other than 47 U.S.C. 254(b)(7) and (c)(1)(D)). Upon termination of the exemption, the commission shall establish an implementation schedule for compliance with the request that is consistent in time and manner with the federal communications commission's regulations.
(4) The exemption provided by subsection (3)(a) does not apply with respect to a request from a cable operator providing video programming and seeking to provide any telecommunications service in the area in which the rural telephone company was providing video programming on February 8, 1996.
(5) (a) A local exchange carrier with fewer than 2% of the nation's subscriber lines, installed in the aggregate nationwide, may petition the commission for a suspension or modification of the application of a requirement of subsection (2)(b) or (2)(c) to telephone exchange service facilities specified in the petition. The commission shall grant the petition for the suspension or modification to the extent and for the duration that the commission determines:
(i) is necessary:
(A) to avoid a significant adverse economic impact on users of telecommunications services generally;
(B) to avoid imposing a requirement that is unduly economically burdensome; or
(C) to avoid imposing a requirement that is technically infeasible; and
(ii) is consistent with the public interest, convenience, and necessity.
(b) The commission shall act upon any petition filed under subsection (5)(a) within 180 days after receiving the petition. Pending action, the commission may suspend enforcement of the requirement to which the petition applies with respect to the petitioning carrier.
History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 349, L. 1997.