WorldCom asked Mo. PSC to suspend its review of Southwestern Bell...
WorldCom asked Mo. PSC to suspend its review of Southwestern Bell Telephone (SBT) Sec. 271 interLATA long distance bid. WorldCom said Jan. 8 decision by 8th U.S. Appeals Court, St. Louis, striking down PSC- approved interconnection agreements based on…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
total element long run incremental costs (TELRIC) meant local exchange competitors had no legal access to SBT’s network. WorldCom contended it was impossible to have legal interconnection agreements based on illegal prices. It said most other CLECs in Mo. based their interconnection agreements on AT&T- SBT contract, so court’s action also voided those agreements, meaning SBT couldn’t be in compliance with Sec. 271 checklist. SBT said it would continue to honor rates company agreed to before its long distance application, but some CLECs and Mo. Office of Public Counsel said competitors were in position of relying on SBT’s oral promises, with nothing in writing that was enforceable. Court’s decision was on an SBT appeal of PSC arbitration decision in interconnection pricing dispute that upheld AT&T’s position favoring TELRIC-based prices. Mo. PSC is considering asking for clarification from court, but also could ask that decision be stayed pending appeal to U.S. Supreme Court.