AT&T files complaint on quality of Ameritech access service with Michigan Public Service Commission.

DETROIT, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 30, 1996--AT&T today filed a complaint with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) on the deteriorating quality of access service it receives from Ameritech Michigan and its effect on AT&T's Michigan business customers. In its complaint, AT&T is seeking the help of the MPSC in correcting the "dramatic and unabated degradation in the quality of access service" it receives from Ameritech in Michigan.

"Since October 1994, the quality of Ameritech's access service has deteriorated based on a variety of measurements," said William L. West, AT&T regional vice president of local infrastructure and access management. "The poor quality of Ameritech's access service has hindered AT&T's ability to provide high quality long-distance services to many of our Michigan business customers."

AT&T is Ameritech's single largest access customer and pays Ameritech more than $800 million a year for access services, including some $200 million in Michigan alone. Access service is the local service provided to AT&T by local exchange companies like Ameritech that allows AT&T to originate and terminate long-distance calls on lines that connect to its customers.

The complaint filed today with the MPSC addresses the deteriorating quality of Ameritech Michigan's dedicated access service, which is a direct call path that links a business customer to a long-distance carrier, like AT&T, for the purpose of providing a wide range of special long- distance services. These services include both voice and data transmissions. AT&T pays Ameritech about $25 million a year for dedicated access services in Michigan.

To monitor the quality of the access service it receives, AT&T and Ameritech have agreed on a number of critical measurements. These measurements include the time it takes Ameritech to provide new service and the time it takes it to restore failed lines.

Since October 1994, the quality of Ameritech's dedicated access service, based on several of its own key measurements, has significantly deteriorated. This has hindered AT&T's ability to provide its business customers the high-quality long-distance services they expect and, at one time, regularly received. It also has resulted in a flurry of customer complaints.

"During the past two years, AT&T has cooperated on a continual basis with Ameritech in an attempt to improve the quality of access service," said West. "The cooperative efforts have included dozens of meetings and daily phone calls between both parties. Although Ameritech has consistently committed to improvements in the quality of its access service, no improvement, to date, has been achieved."

AT&T's business customers in Ameritech's territory have consistently complained to AT&T about the poor quality of access service, according to West. "Even though we've exhausted every avenue available to address these service problems, there has been no significant improvement. As a result, we've decided to ask the MPSC for its help."

AT&T is asking the MPSC for a hearing on its complaint and a finding that Ameritech's delivery of inferior access services to AT&T violates the Michigan Telecommunications Act. The company also is requesting an order from the MPSC requiring Ameritech to improve the quality of the access service it delivers to AT&T to the level it was delivering prior to October 1994, or to an appropriate standard specified by the Commission. In addition, AT&T is seeking financial penalties against Ameritech if it fails to meet specific quality standards established by the Commission.

CONTACT: Mike Pruyn

AT&T

312-230-4894 (office)

630-778-9320 (home)

[e-mail]

or: Oriano Pagnucci

312-230-4888 (office)

708-403-9158 (home)

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