Verizon Tues. refiled application with FCC to offer long distance...
Verizon Tues. refiled application with FCC to offer long distance service in N.J. Company withdrew earlier petition March 19 after Commission raised questions about size of nonrecurring rates Verizon charged competitors for “hot cuts.” To address that concern, carrier…
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said it filed reduced hot cut rate March 20 that mirrored rate established in Feb. in N.Y. Hot cuts occur when customer’s line is disconnected from one provider and reconnected to new one. “This new hot cut rate is now part of the record,” Verizon Senior Vp Thomas Tauke said. “By withdrawing and refiling the application, the procedural issue was resolved and the new hot cut rate was endorsed by more than a dozen CLECs” in N.Y. Verizon said new application also reflected continued growth in competition since first one was submitted. Competitors have added 50,000 lines, increasing total to 610,000. Verizon has Sec. 271 applications pending for 2 other states -- Vt., which FCC must act upon by April 17, and Me., with FCC’s decision due by June 19. AT&T said Verizon’s ability to change hot cut rate to $35 from $160 “with a strike of a pen” showed “the initial application was frivolous.” AT&T contended new application also had “serious problems.” FCC issued “expedited schedule” for gathering comments on new application “because Verizon’s… application follows very closely in time to its recently withdrawn filing [and] relies largely on the same evidence that supported its previous application.” Comments are due April 8; Dept. of Justice evaluation, April 15; replies, April 19. Wireline Bureau staff will be available April 11 and 12 for ex parte meetings if parties want to discuss issues they plan to raise in reply comments. Statutory 90-day deadline for FCC to act on petition is June 24.