Verizon and AT&T called on the FCC to reject a petition by CLEC F...
Verizon and AT&T called on the FCC to reject a petition by CLEC Fones4All, which asked in July that it continue to benefit from UNE-P for customers it serves under the universal service fund Lifeline program. Ross Buntrock, the…
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company’s attorney, told us the issue presented by Fones4All is similar to a request by TracFone, a wireless reseller, which asked for ETC status so it can also offer service through the Lifeline program. “We're saying [to the FCC] this has been used to provide lifeline service and we need to expand the lifeline program,” Buntrock said. “This is very much in line with what you said you wanted to do in TracFone.” Fones4All said in a filing that “it is time for the Commission to demonstrate that is serious about making basic telephone service available to all Americans.” But Verizon said Fones4All asked the FCC for forbearance only after it failed to work out negotiated rates replacing UNE-P. “Following the effective date of the [Triennial Review Remand Order] and the start of the 12-month period, Fones4All waited until Oct. 2005 before taking any steps to negotiate a lawful alternative for its embedded base of UNE-P arrangements in Verizon’s territory,” Verizon said. AT&T called the petition “utterly deficient” and said Commission rules don’t allow granting the CLEC the forbearance it requested.