Reaction to Powell's 30 Day UNE-p Negotiating Proposal

AT&T: "Chairman Powell's call is not one for negotiation but rather a call for surrender. Clearly this will mean an end to a competitive local marketplace, not only for the millions of customers who have chosen competitive carriers as their local providers but also for the millions of others who are benefiting from the lower prices that competition brings," said Jim Cicconi, AT&T general counsel.



CompTel/ASCENT Alliance: "The competitive industry has been trying to negotiate with the Bells for eight years, without success. Chairman Powell now proposes that we negotiate for 30 days. And by signaling that the FCC will raise wholesale rates, absent a commercially negotiated agreement, the Chairman has eliminated any incentive of the Bell companies to negotiate in good faith. The lesson we have learned is that once the Commission eliminates access to a UNE at cost-based rates, the Bells have absolutely no incentive to negotiate in good faith," said H. Russell Frisby Jr., CEO of the CompTel/ASCENT Alliance, an industry group representing facilities-based carriers, providers using unbundled network elements, global integrated communications companies, and their supplier partners.



Citizens Against Government Waste: "Even before the decision is made as to whether or not to appeal, the FCC stands ready to flush more tax dollars into the black hole of endless bureaucratic proceedings. The Bush Administration should appeal to the Supreme Court for a clear and unambiguous interpretation of the law," said Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, a non-partisan group.