AT&T has already undergone much work in dealing with state...
AT&T has already undergone much work in dealing with state regulatory bodies for a possible transition to all-Internet Protocol networks, said Hank Hultquist, AT&T vice president-federal regulatory, speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Monday. AT&T asked the…
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FCC last year to launch a proceeding concerning the transition from legacy time division multiplexing phone service to IP networks (CD Nov 8 p11). “We have been seeking reform of state laws to set the table for this and in a number of our states we believe we are in a position to begin this process,” he said. The transition will require changes in state regulations, though if there is “some holdout state that is standing in the way of the transition,” the FCC has the authority to preempt state law that isn’t consistent with federal objectives, though he’s hopeful it won’t come to that, said Hultquist. AT&T would like the FCC to initiate the process to begin testing by the end of the year so AT&T can “come in with our plans” for the trials, said Hultquist. The move to all-IP will include a grandfather period in which AT&T wouldn’t allow any new non-IP subscribers, but would continue to provide service, said Hultquist. Following that period, the company would eventually shut down the service completely, he said.