Qwest Rejoins U.S. Telecom Assn.

Qwest Communications is rejoining the U.S. Telecom Association as high-speed Internet issues take on a higher profile in Washington. The Denver-based telecommunications firm, which provides local service in 14 western states, left the association eight years ago "because we believed it to be in our best interests to do so at that time," a company spokesman said Friday.

He declined to elaborate on the circumstances of the split but a 2001 Washington Post story shed some light on the rift: "Depending on whom you talk to, USTA either suspended [Qwest] for not paying its rather hefty dues or the company quit the group after growing apart." At the time, Qwest's annual dues were nearly $800,000, but the company had negotiated a 25 percent reduction, the article said...