As Telecom Act hits 5th anniversary, ’the glass is half full,’ Co...

As Telecom Act hits 5th anniversary, “the glass is half full,” CompTel Pres. Russell Frisby said Wed. at press briefing. Frisby said if they were graded, Bells would earn “F” for not complying with law and opening their markets to competition. Bells opened their markets enough to merit Sec. 271 approval in only 4 states, he said. “That is shameful.” CompTel said this is critical year as Bells seek legislation to ease Sec. 271 rules for data services. Group urged FCC and Congress to focus on 4 areas: (1) Enhance enforcement and antitrust remedies to stop Bell companies from “leveraging” their local exchange strength in new Internet access and broadband services. (2) Strengthen local market access rules to assure competitive entry. (3) Stop Bell efforts to gain interLATA data relief. “There is no difference between voice and data and such legislation is a ploy to sidestep obligations,” CompTel said. (4) Support “strong FCC” to protect market-opening provisions of Act. Frisby complained that “Bell lawsuits” and creation of “behemoths” through Bell mergers have prevented Telecom Act from reaching its full potential. Group of CompTel members, representing companies breaking into telecom service in SBC territory in Southwest, said they still faced variety of bottlenecks in offering competitive DSL service, gaining access to unbundled network elements and other areas. “There is a reason why the local network was last to be opened to competition,” said Jerry James, pres. of facilities-based Grande Communications. “It was the hardest to open. It takes a lot of money, a lot of effort, going down every street” to lay cable. In answer to question, Frisby said he strongly disagreed with new FCC Chmn. Powell’s statement (CD Feb 7 p1) that one could deregulate before markets were competitive. That’s “absolutely wrong,” Frisby said. “It’s a license to loot.” In general, Powell is “very thoughtful person who is generally supportive of competition,” he said. CompTel members were in town to lobby on Capitol Hill Wed. and today (Thurs.) in opposition to Bell data relief and other issues. Competitors may be in for “long siege” as Bells redouble their efforts to gain data relief, Ernest Kelly, pres. of Assn. of Communications Enterprises, predicted in statement issued for Telecom Act anniversary. He said Bells undoubtedly would have “allies in this effort” on Hill, but “we are confident that in the end the Congress will not undo what took 17 years to achieve… a mechanism to open up the last phone monopoly.”