Core’s 3rd Circuit Reply Defends Its Status as ‘Intermediary’ Telecom Provider

It’s clear AT&T doesn’t want to pay Core Communications for toll-free calls, but it was never because Core engaged in fraudulent or spoofed traffic, as AT&T alleged, said Core’s reply brief Wednesday (docket 23-3022) in the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The truth is that AT&T doesn’t want to pay Core because from AT&T’s perspective, Core does little work, it said. Core’s appeal seeks to reverse the district court’s Oct. 13 summary judgment decision in AT&T’s favor (see 2310160018). The district court found that when purchasing toll-free calls from third parties that were destined for AT&T’s customers, Core didn’t provide its tariffed switched access services to AT&T and therefore couldn’t collect from AT&T its tariffed rates for that service. AT&T may regard Core as a laggard, but without “intermediary” telecom providers like Core, “there would be no practicable way for 8YY callers to connect with AT&T’s 8YY customers,” said Core’s reply. Without intermediaries like Core, “there would be no operable infrastructure for toll-free calling in the United States,” it said.