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.).
The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) has approved a telecommunications company's proposed pilot test to provide facilities-based local telephone service within part of the service territory of U S West Communications, Inc., a certificated LEC. The company, McLeod Telemanagement, Inc., plans to provide these services in an area currently served by four U S West central offices located in Cedar Rapids and Marion, IA, to develop information concerning competition in the local exchange market.
The IUB cited its general policy favoring advancement of competition in the telecommunications market. It also found that the proposed plan would encourage greater customer choice, better service, and more efficient pricing. The experiment will require U S West to file cost-based tariffs to recover the nonrecurring cost of providing number portability through route indexing as well as a flat monthly rate for unbundled local loops. McLeod will pay for all fiber and interconnection equipment needed to hook up to U S West facilities. Re McLeod Telemanagement, Inc., Docket No. TCU-94-4, Mar. 31, 1995 (Iowa U.B.).
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