Looks like Qwest is going after the neighborhood-
"Qwest Asks to Offer Long-Distance in Five States Where it offers Local Service"
Looks like WCOM isn't happy about Qwest's move..........
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WorldCom Says Qwest is Asking Far Too Much, Way Too Soon
The FCC Should Reject Qwest's Bid to Provide Long Distance Service
DENVER, June 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Background: Today, Qwest filed its first application with the Federal Communications Commission seeking authority to provide long distance service in (Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska and North Dakota). Under the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, regional Bell monopolies such as Qwest are required to show that they have irreversibly opened their local phone markets to competitors on a state-by-state basis before being allowed to offer long distance services.
The following statement should be attributed to Jim Lewis, WorldCom (Nasdaq:WCOM) Senior Vice President of Public Policy:
"Qwest is asking far too much, way too soon. The fact is tests show Qwest's region-wide local phone systems are not ready to perform at commercial volumes. Couple that with the exorbitant rates Qwest charges its competitors to access its public phone network and you might as well be telling Qwest's customers their ability to receive lower local phone prices and better service is just not a priority. In the end, if Qwest doesn't open its markets to fair local competition before it gets into the already competitive long-distance industry everybody suffers but the big monopoly.
"It's now up to the Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission to force Qwest to fix its problems before it gets into long- distance. WorldCom certainly welcomes competition. But competition at the expense of consumers is just not how the game should be played." |
