(1) The commission encourages the voluntary negotiation of agreements for interconnection, services or network elements. In order to facilitate the streamlined processes mandated by the 1996 Act, negotiating parties should resolve as many terms and conditions in their agreements as possible prior to making a request for the commission to mediate or arbitrate unresolved terms. Parties should continue negotiating unresolved terms after petitioning the commission to arbitrate open issues and shall notify the arbitrator expeditiously when any open issue is resolved voluntarily.