AT&T’s push for new loop access technology called electronic loop...

Martin, who made passing reference to ELP in his speech, said afterward that AT&T made thought-provoking argument about need for better accessibility to loops. He said ELP addressed issue of whether competitors would “still be able to take advantage of current facilities” as new technologies were built. ELP involves software that would digitize and packetize signals, then send them to ATM switch into which all competitors would be connected. In speech, he said one of questions to be asked in FCC’s review of its unbundled network element (UNE) regime is: “How should our standard apply to elements that are readily available from CLECs? Even if a switch is readily available from alternative carriers, is electronic loop provisioning necessary to ensure continued access?” Martin also said in speech that FCC might not be able to complete UNE triennial review by end of year and proceeding could slip to Jan. or Feb., meaning 2 companion orders -- wireline broadband access and performance measurements -- also could slip slightly. He said he favors action by end of this year and Commission is trying hard to make that happen. Martin said he still favored facilities-based competition because alternative of requiring incumbents to share their networks “creates disincentives” to deployment of broadband services. He said UNE review proceeding raised difficult questions such as: (1) If FCC goes to more “granular” approach in eliminating UNE elements, should states have flexibility in devising rules or should there be national standard? (2) What level of granularity should be used -- for example, should rules be applied on company-by-company basis. (3) Should FCC “slowly transition prices up toward wholesale rates.” He said “next 6 to 8 weeks” would be critical in agency’s UNE review and urged parties to contact FCC soon if they had views to express. On broadband, Martin said key goal should be removing financial disincentives to broadband deployment such as excise taxes, franchise fees, regulatory barriers. On another issue, he said he didn’t support requiring Internet access providers to pay universal service fees because they didn’t benefit from universal service fund. TIA praised Martin for stressing facilities- based deployment. It said it had been warning regulators that deployment would lag unless they “foster an environment that encourages all broadband competitors to upgrade, expand and innovate across the wide variety of existing and future communications networks.”