Verizon formally asked Pa. PUC to support Sec. 271 application to...

all 14 market-opening requirements of Sec. 271 checklist, its Pa. local markets were “fully and irreversibly open” to local competition and CLECs “can compete effectively using our systems.” Verizon said final report by KPMG Consulting on operation support systems test proved its claims: “Our systems scored an ‘A’ on this rigorous test. The results validate the real-world experience of more than 85 competitors who rely on our systems to provide local phone service” in Pa. Verizon said CLECs were serving 670,000 customers using 220,000 resold Verizon lines and 450,000 of their own lines. Verizon said it had implemented 164 interconnection agreements and 1,700 colocation agreements with competitors, had installed 310,000 trunks between its network and those of competitors, and exchanged more than 15 billion traffic min. with CLECs in 2000 -- 32% more than in 1999. Verizon said 85% of its residential lines and 91% of business lines were accessible to CLECs. Local rival AT&T disputed Verizon’s claim of 271 compliance, saying KPMG test failed to provide conclusive proof Verizon could handle commercial volumes of CLEC orders for voice loops and digital subscriber lines on day-to-day basis without glitches. AT&T said CLECs “continue to be hamstrung by Verizon’s wholesale unit” in Pa. local marketplace.