More line sharing info:
U S WEST and Consortium of 13 Competitive Local Exchange Carriers Sign Nation's First Region-Wide 'Line-Sharing' Agreement
DENVER, April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- A consortium of 13 leading competitive local exchange carriers and U S WEST (NYSE: USW - news) today agreed to share phone lines for simultaneous voice and data traffic on a region-wide basis -- the first multi-company, region-wide agreement of its kind in the nation. The pro-competitive agreement will speed and broaden availability of high-speed Internet and broadband services to millions more consumers in U S WEST's 14-state territory.
The companies participating in the agreement include Arrival Communications, @Link Networks, Inc., BridgeBand Communications, Inc., Contact Communications, Covad Communications Company, CDS Networks, Inc., Jato Communications Corp., Montana Wireless, Inc., MULTIBAND Communications, Inc., New Edge Networks, NorthPoint Communications, Inc., RHYTHMS LINKS, INC., Western Telephone Integrated Communications, Inc., and U S WEST.
``This agreement underscores our willingness to go the extra mile in opening up our network to competitors,'' said John Kelley, president -- Wholesale Markets, U S WEST. ``It comes at a time when demand for high-speed Internet access has never been greater. This ground-breaking agreement not only demonstrates our commitment and ability to work effectively with a broad range of customers and competitors -- large and small -- it will also help more companies offer services to more consumers and businesses throughout our region.''
The agreement outlines the terms and conditions for competitors' use of the high-frequency portion of the local phone line, allowing voice and data to be transmitted simultaneously over the same line. The agreed-upon deployment schedule will implement line-sharing in approximately 350 U S WEST central offices by the end of July, throughout the company's 14-state region. Competitors can begin submitting orders in those offices where the necessary equipment has been installed beginning in mid-May.
Under the agreement, consortium members will choose one of two payment options for interim monthly line-sharing rates, both to be effective immediately:
Either an interim rate of $5.40 per month per shared line;
Or a rate of $0 per month per shared line until as early as January 1, 2001, at which time the interim monthly rate will change to $8.25;
In each case, all interim prices are subject to ``true up'' -- meaning that once permanent prices are established in each state, the permanent price will be applied retroactively back to April 24, 2000.
At present, Minnesota is the only state in U S WEST's region that has established an interim line-sharing rate -- at $6.05 a month. Today's agreement establishes interim rates in U S WEST's other 13 states, pending agreements between U S WEST and CLECs on permanent prices or further action by regulatory commissions in each state.
U S WEST and the consortium members have agreed to continue negotiating to reach permanent prices for line-sharing. If a permanent price can't be negotiated, the companies have agreed to ask each state commission to establish permanent rates.
Line-sharing involves separating the frequencies of transmissions over the copper wires -- or loop -- that connect to customers' homes and businesses, enabling voice and data traffic to be transmitted simultaneously over the same loop. Other companies will be able to offer high-speed data services over one portion of the loop, while U S WEST provides voice service over another portion. U S WEST will install a ``splitter'' in the central office that separates the voice and data. The agreement establishes the interim terms, conditions and pricing under which U S WEST provides this capability and the prices competitors will pay for use of a portion of the loop.
In November, the Federal Communications Commission ruled that local exchange carriers, like U S WEST, are required to offer line-sharing to other carriers. U S WEST and the consortium of high-speed data providers signed the agreement today after months of joint meetings and negotiations.
Perry P. |
