AT&T and MCI Violating Telecom Act, Pacific Bell Charges in Complaint to Regulators.SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 1997--Pacific Bell plans to file today an official complaint with the California Public Utilities Commission The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC; also often commonly referred to as simply the PUC) [1] is a state Public Utilities Commission which regulates privately-owned utilities in the state of California, including electric power, (CPUC CPUC California Public Utilities Commission CPUC Current Procurement Unit Cost ) against AT&T and MCI (1) (Media Control Interface) A high-level programming interface from Microsoft and IBM for controlling multimedia devices. It provides commands and functions to open, play and close the device. (2) (Microwave Communications Inc. , charging that both long-distance giants are violating the 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act There are several laws named the Telecommunications Act
"AT&T and MCI are both jointly marketing resold local telephone services with their long-distance services," said Lee Bauman, Pacific Bell vice president, Local Competition. "We filed our complaint today with explicit examples of both companies' recent distributions to California customers offering "one-stop shopping," a single point of contact and a single bill for both resold local telephone services and long-distance services. "These offers are expressly prohibited by the 1996 Telecom Act until Pacific Bell is allowed to compete with the long-distance giants by being able to offer a full range of services ourselves -- including long-distance," Bauman added. "While we are working to show federal regulators that Pacific Bell is eligible to offer long-distance services, the fact remains that we are not yet certified by the Federal Communications Commission Federal Communications Commission (FCC), independent executive agency of the U.S. government established in 1934 to regulate interstate and foreign communications in the public interest. (FCC (1) (Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC, www.fcc.gov) The U.S. government agency that regulates interstate and international communications including wire, cable, radio, TV and satellite. The FCC was created under the U.S. ) to do so," Bauman said. "That means that AT&T and MCI may not yet jointly market resold local and long-distance services in California -- and that both are in naked violation of the federal law today. AT&T and MCI's activities are a part of their plan to unlawfully increase their own profits while blocking customers from receiving the benefits of full competition in the long-distance market," Bauman concluded. Pacific Bell is asking the CPUC to order AT&T and MCI to stop immediately such joint marketing activities. Pacific Bell is a subsidiary of Pacific Telesis
Pacific Telesis Group was one of the seven Regional Bell Operating Companies created after the 1984 breakup of AT&T as a holding company for Pacific Bell and Nevada Bell. Group, a diversified communications corporation headquartered in San Francisco. CONTACT: Pacific Bell, A Pacific Telesis Company Lou Saviano, 415/394-3744 |
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