National Telecom Coop Assn. (NTCA) took on would-be competitors i...
National Telecom Coop Assn. (NTCA) took on would-be competitors in filing with FCC Mon. about universal service portability, saying universal service never was meant to “artificially induce competition.” At issue is NTCA’s petition for reconsideration of FCC’s rural access…
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charge reform order -- and opposition to it by Rural Consumer Choice Coalition (RCCC) and Competitive Universal Service Coalition (CUSC). “NTCA is not opposed to competition per se and objects to CUSC and RCCC’s characterization of NTCA’s petition as anticompetitive,” rural telco group said. “The Commission is not required to adopt universal service rules to create competition in areas where a competitive marketplace would not otherwise exist,” filing said. NTCA argued that giving carriers identical support could create “windfall” for some competitors because carriers’ needs weren’t identical. Competitors object to NTCA’s request that FCC reconsider decision to make portable universal service program known as Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS) fund. ICLS fund was created in access charge reform order, also known as MAG order (CC 00-256), as was requirement that it be portable, meaning it would be available to competitors. Such action would violate Telecom Act’s requirement that universal service be used only for “intended purposes” and that it be limited to “sufficient, not excessive, levels,” NTCA said. NTCA was among several groups of rural ILECs seeking reconsideration of MAG order.