Posted 05/2000
News Briefs
A federal appeals court ruling on the FCC's (www.fcc.gov) March 1999 collocation rules should have little impact on CLECs, sources say. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (www.cadc.uscourts.gov) recently ordered the FCC to reconsider portions of its collocation rules, which the court said deviated "too far" from the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Specifically, the court ruled in GTE Service Corp., et al. vs. FCC that the FCC's definitions of "necessary" and "physical collocation" required further explanation. Many CLECs were disappointed about the court's request that the FCC clarify the types of equipment that CLECs can collocate, fearing the remand could slow competition. Overall, though, the court largely upheld the FCC's rules, which are aimed at helping new entrants compete by giving them greater access to the ILECs' central switching offices. Other CLECs, including those providing high-speed DSL service, now anticipate the FCC making the rules even more stringent.
One of the co-authors of the Telecom Act is leaving Capitol Hill after 20 years of service. Commerce Committee Chairman Thomas Bliley Jr. (R-Va.) (www.house.gov/bliley) is retiring from the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of this term. Under rules adopted by the Republican majority limiting committee chairmanship tenure, Bliley, 68, would have been forced to step down as chairman at the end of this year.
The FCC's May 10 airwave auction of licenses in the 747 to 762 MHz and 777 to 792 MHz bands, otherwise known as Auction No. 31, has been postponed until June 7. This is new spectrum that has been freed up by the advent of digital television that the FCC hopes will further the reach of wireless telephone service and high-speed Internet access, as well as create new possibilities for competitors. Simultaneous multiple round bidding will be permitted only from remote locations, either by computer or phone, the FCC says. The FCC is under congressional mandate to deposit proceeds from Auction No. 31 into the U.S. Treasury by Sept. 30. The deadline to submit applications to participate in the auction is May 8.
Rhythms NetConnections Inc. (www.rhythms.net) asked the Georgia PSC (www.psc.state.ga.us) to investigate how BellSouth Corp. (www.bellsouth.com) defines, offers and prices UNEs for DSL service to competitors. Rhythms says that BellSouth engages in "discriminatory practices," breaking both federal and state laws. "The Baby Bells continue to refuse to work with us to offer loops for customers that will lead to more choice in the high-speed Internet-access marketplace," says Jeffrey Blumenfeld, Rhythms' chief legal counsel. So far, BellSouth says it will expand its loop links to 18,000 feet from 12,000 feet. "But we don't know if we should believe them," says Rhythms Assistant General Counsel Frank Paganelli. "We're not ending this complaint."
Presidential candidate Al Gore, during a speech at Morgan State University in Baltimore, known as Maryland's public urban university, proposed how Internet access can be provided to all American homes. He said that more government-supported research must be devoted to satellite and wireless technologies to promote affordable access for rural communities. In addition, the AmeriCorps program should be utilized to send volunteers into high-tech community centers in low-income neighborhoods. Finally, the current moratorium on Internet access charges that are based on per-minute usage should be extended.
