USTelecom, Incompas Reach Dark Fiber Transport Compromise

USTelecom and Incompas have an unbundled dark fiber transport compromise, following their LEC line access pact proposed to the FCC (see 2008060044), they said in docket 19-308 Tuesday. They urged the FCC to adopt the two concurrently and "bring finality and certainty to issues that have long bedeviled parties and policymakers alike." Since requesting carriers are impaired without unbundled access to dark fiber transport to any Tier 34 wire center more than half a mile from alternative fiber, the compromise would have the FCC find non-impairment and use its authority to forbear from the obligation to provide unbundled dark fiber transport to wire centers within a half mile of alternative fiber where unbundled transport currently isn't required. They said competitive LECs will still have unbundled access to all dark fiber transport arrangements ordered before the order's effective date for eight years, during which the incumbent LEC won't increase rates for access to unbundled dark fiber.