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Industry News
U.S. Telecommunications Regulatory Environment Criticized in New Report
CompTel/ALTS Releases Report Indicating Negative Impact on
U.S. Businesses and Consumers of FCC Implementation of the 1996 Act
News and Information WBIA in the News ISP-Planet America's Network ITAA disappointed in the US Chamber of Commerce Reports Expanding the Digital Divide and Falling Behind in Broadband Consumer Union Report Merger Mania ACTel Myths vs. Facts
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FEDERAL REGULATORY ACTIVITIES COMPTEL Disappointed with Tunney Act Decision COMPTEL Urges FCC to Reject AT&T, BellSouth Merger - Offers merger conditions should Commission choose to approve deal. 9/22/2006 COMPTEL, on behalf of its more than 350 members, last Friday reiterated its call for the FCC to reject the proposed merger of AT&T and BellSouth. Should the Commission ignore the substantial anticompetitive effects of the proposed deal and approve the merger, COMPTEL urged the Commission to adopt significant and enforceable conditions concerning unbundled network elements (UNEs) and the provision of special access. COMPTEL Sept. 22 filed a letter with the FCC that contained a list of proposed UNE-related merger conditions that will help to ensure continued access to unbundled loops and transport in the AT&T and BellSouth regions. In addition, COMPTEL joined with several other parties in a letter that urges the Commission to adopt necessary provisions to mitigate some of the potential anticompetitive effects created by the merger in the special access market should the agency approve the proposed deal. COMPTEL said the UNE conditions, when taken in conjunction with remedies for access to special access services, could help to offset, but not cure, the anticompetitive harms of the proposed merger. “Approving the proposed AT&T/BellSouth merger and allowing the Bell companies to further enhance their already prodigious market power will undermine competition, thwart innovation and broadband deployment, and hurt our nation’s economy,” said COMPTEL President and CEO Earl Comstock.
COMPTEL Files Response in Tunney Act Case COMPTEL Sept. 5, 2006 filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia its response to the Court's review of the SBC/AT&T and Verizon/MCI mergers and whether entry of the consent decrees, settling the merger complaints, will serve the public interest. Noting the lack of materials and facts before him to support the allegations in the Department of Justice's complaints and the remedy proposed in the consent decrees, Judge Emmet G. Sullivan in July said he was not in a position to approve or reject the consent decrees at this time. He requested that the DoJ submit the material necessary to demonstrate to the Court that the consent decrees actually restore the competition the DoJ alleges will be lost as a result of the mergers. COMPTEL, along with other parties, was then provided an opportunity to respond to the DoJ's filings. Click here to view COMPTEL's complete filing. 06/27/2005 BRAND X - Decision NATIONAL CABLE & TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSN. V.BRAND X INTERNET SERVICES 06/14/2005 Former FCC Chief Economist Argues Mergers are “Bad for Business”. The proposed SBC/AT&T and Verizon/MCI mergers would produce a dramatic loss of competitive choices, fueling major price increases and stifling innovative services for business customers, according to new economic analysis by former FCC chief economist Simon J. Wilkie. Wilkie presented his findings on the business market impact of the proposed mergers at a press briefing today with members of the Alliance for Competition in Telecommunications (ACTel) and joined by CompTel/ALTS President Earl Comstock. Press Release 06/14/2005 FCC Launches Look At Universal Service The FCC Tuesday launched a broad inquiry into the oversight and management of the Universal Service Fund, a $6.5 billion fund that primarily subsidizes phone service in rural and low-income areas – while also financing the connecting of schools to the Internet. See also FCC WC Docket 05-195 NPRM 06/02/2005 CompTel/ALTS Releases Report Indicating Negative Impact on U.S. Businesses and Consumers of FCC Implementation of the 1996 Act WASHINGTON, DC - June 2, 2005 - CompTel/ALTS, the leading industry association representing competitive communications providers, released a report today that shows the United States is lagging behind European countries when it comes to implementing policies necessary for sustainable competition in the communications sector. The report explains the precipitous drop in the United States' international standing in broadband penetration. 03/16/2005 Commissioner Martin is named FCC's new Chairman Commissioner Martin's comments on appointment - 01/20/2005 FCC Chairman Powell to step down - Just one day after the presidential inauguration, Michael Powell has announced that he will step down from his post as Chairman of the FCC in March. Powell, who has been FCC chairman since 2001, reportedly has been unhappy with the commission’s direction, and industry watchers had predicted that he would resign before the end of his term in 2007. Related article on NGS - Light Reading 01/14/05 Oklahoma Commission Unleashes Telecom "Bundles" Oklahoma consumers will be able to choose from "bundled" telecommunications services at cheaper rates under streamlined rules adopted Wednesday by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, officials say. Article on America's Network 01/14/05 Nortel chief urges U.S. to promote broadband use - Competitors gaining ground. WASHINGTON—Nortel Networks Corp. chief executive Bill Owens criticized U.S. policy in deploying broadband yesterday, saying the U.S. risks being eclipsed by competitors, especially in Asia. Article on Toronto Star 12/23/04 12/21/04 Alameda, CA: CLECs Turn to MetaSwitch Following FCC Ruling Does a ruling last week by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sound the death-knoll for competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) across the country? While some claim that the commission’s decision means an end to competition, a number of forward-thinking CLECs have already put contingency plans in place - using equipment from VoIP Softswitch vendor MetaSwitch. Article 12/20/04 12/16/04 USTA Urges FCC to Reconsider Unnecessary, Burdensome Network Events Reporting Requirements. WASHINGTON, D.C. —Today, the United States Telecom Association (USTA) asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reconsider its recently imposed rules for reporting network events, which could cost carriers millions of dollars with no benefit to consumers. In a Petition for Reconsideration filed today, USTA urged the Commission to grant USTA’s previously filed request to stay parts of the order. Press Release 12/15/04 FCC Adopts new Rules for Network Unbundling Obligations of Incumbent Local Phone Carriers WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Federal Communications Commission today adopted rules concerning incumbent local exchange carriers’ (incumbent LECs’) obligations to make elements of their network available to other carriers seeking to enter the local telecommunications market. Press Release 12/03/04 ALTS and CompTel/ASCENT Enter into Merger MOU WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Executive Committee for the Association for Local Telecommunications Services (ALTS) and CompTel/ASCENT's Board of Directors today announced that they have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore the merger of the two trade groups. Press Release 12/03/04 Supreme Court to hear cable Internet case Ruling WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court said Friday it will consider whether Internet providersshould be allowed to sell their high-speed service over the cable television system. Story - MSNBC - News 12/02/04 S&P: RBOC Credit Ratings Slip - The latest Telecommunications and Cable Industry Report Card from credit ratings agency Standard & Poors shows that increased competition in all sectors of telecom and cable continues to drag on the big carriers' financial health. 12/01/04 FCC News. Jonathan Adelstein learned that he will stay on board as commissioner at leastuntil mid-2008. 11/26/04 11/19/04 BellSouth Petition to FCC Threat to VoIP, Says Pulver.A recent petition by BellSouth Corp. to the FCC “might cause serious problems” for VoIP service providers, says Jeff Pulver, president and CEO of Pulver.com. X-ChangeMag Article 11/11/04 SBC - Project Lightspeed - SBC News Release - Related article: ISP-Planet CLEC News 11/10/04 Proposed FCC Rules Would Cost Businesses $130 Billion -
new study by CompTel/ASCENT 10/26/04 U.S. Slips to 13th in Broadband Service Worldwide and Digital Divide Grows Under Bush Administration - Expanding the Digital Divide and Falling Behind in BroadbandReport Download Available - 10/12/04 FCC RELEASES RELEASES STATISTICS OF COMMON CARRIERS STUDY. This report includes a wealth of data on telecommunications costs, revenues, prices and usage. The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) today said that conclusions contained in a telecommunications study sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are oo focused on trying to protect incumbent carriers at the expense of consumers’ interests, dubbing the Chamber’s position the “Bell Echo Chamber.” more...
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