The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has proposed rules to implement dialing parity for providers of toll telephone services in the state. Under the rules, local exchange carriers (LECs) must offer customers two carrier presubscription choices, one for interMSA (market service area) calls and another for nonlocal intraMSA calls. The ICC rejected a proposal to delay the move to presubscription until LECs are permitted to compete with interexchange long distance carriers (IXCs). It found that protecting the LECs from further competition was unnecessary and would indefinitely deny consumers the benefits associated with presubscription and its accompanying competition. Re Intramarket Service Area Presubscription, No. 94-0048, Apr. 7, 1995 (Ill.C.C.).
In a separate opinion, the ICC directed Illinois Bell Telephone Co., an LEC, to file new tariffs for unbundled services, interconnection, and reciprocal compensation in addition to tariffs for intraMSA presubscription. The ruling was the result of a consolidated docket to consider the advancement of competition in the local telephone market and to review a proposal by Illinois Bell to implement its "Customers First Plan," tying greater unbundling of services and local market competition to a loosening of restrictions on the provision of long-distance services by LECs. The ICC rejected the Customer First Plan tariff proposal, instead adopting its own detailed plan for unbundling rates and services and further opening the local market to competition. Re Illinois Bell Telephone Co., 94-0096 et al., Apr. 7, 1995 (Ill.C.C.).