Now FCC Must Look at Local Phone Competition

The Federal Communications Commission’s recent ruling to cut long-distance phone charges should not have consumers dancing in the streets (“Savings or Hikes? New Rates May Be Wash for Some Callers,” May 8). The next big issue the FCC needs to address is consumer choice in the local telecommunications market.

Consumers have little choice in the local telephone market. The reason is that Pacific Bell has not taken the steps necessary to ensure that new entrants are able to compete. More than a year after the passage of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, Pacific Bell has still not met all of the requirements of the act’s 14-point checklist for entering into long-distance service. The act was designed to ensure that Pacific Bell truly opened the local market to competition before it could provide long-distance service in California. Without this requirement, Pacific Bell has no incentive to bring local service competition to California consumers.

Competition should be measured not simply by the number of companies authorized to operate in any one market, but, more important, by the ability of competition to drive prices down and improve telephone service.

MARK PHIGLER

President

Americans for Competitive

Telecommunications

Walnut Creek