Qwest Communications International Inc. has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission for authority to provide long-distance service to nearly 2.2 million customer lines in Minnesota. Minnesota represents the 13th state in Qwest's 14-state local service territory where Qwest has filed for approval to provide long-distance authority. The company plans to file a similar application for long-distance authority in its final state, Arizona, within the next few months.
On Dec. 23, 2002, Qwest received FCC approval to provide long-distance service in nine states: Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Additionally, Qwest has a long-distance application pending at the FCC for Oregon, New Mexico and South Dakota. A decision on that application is due by April 15.
"This application is the culmination of years of effort by Qwest employees across Minnesota and throughout the company," said John Stanoch, Qwest president for Minnesota. "Minnesota's local telephone market is one of the most robustly competitive in the nation, and now it's time for Minnesota customers to have the benefit of real long-distance competition. As customers have seen in other states, Qwest long-distance service, along with Qwest's Spirit of Service, makes a big difference and is an unbeatable choice."
Qwest says it has spent more than $3 billion to open its markets to competitors and comply with the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
The company says its FCC application includes data from an extensive third-party test of Qwest's systems and performance that demonstrates Qwest's excellence in providing wholesale services. The test covered 13 states in Qwest's local service territory and was conducted by regulators from throughout those states, including Minnesota. During the test, tens of thousands of transactions were monitored to confirm Qwest's ability to facilitate orders, installation, repair, billing and other services ordered by competitive local telephone companies. Qwest has also passed a separate and comparable systems test in Arizona.
Qwest's residential and business customers in Minnesota could save an estimated $130 million annually with Qwest's re-entry into the regional long- distance business, based on a study by Professor Jerry A. Hausman, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Telecommunications Research Program. On Jan. 7, 2003, Qwest announced its new long-distance offerings that it says offer simple pricing, the convenience of one bill and additional savings for customers who purchase a package of Qwest services.
