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TR's State NewsWire

. . .daily intelligence on communications
industry news and policy from the editors
of Telecommunications Reports. . .

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*Table of Contents*
June 7, 2001

STATES
COLORADO -- Gov. Owens OKs 'no-call' list
SOUTH CAROLINA -- Wireless carriers not required to contribute to
state USF
GEORGIA -- BellSouth amends SGAT
KANSAS -- KCC to review SW Bell proposed access cuts
VERMONT -- Commissioner Burke to begin first full term
MICHIGAN -- House OKs number-conservation measure
CONNECTICUT -- OCC says AT&T has had enough time to expand
network
NORTH CAROLINA -- @ Communications asks UC to arbitrate
interconnect pact
ILLINOIS -- ICC extends Ameritech 'alt-reg' proceeding
ILLINOIS -- Essex asks ICC to settle interconnect dispute
FLORIDA -- Sprint wants Verizon to resell features on 'stand-
alone' basis
CONNECTICUT -- '711' to be operational by mid
MAINE -- Report extends area code's projected exhaust
MICHIGAN -- '269' to be new area code for '616' 'split'
COLORADO -- ICG to withdraw from residential market
ILLINOIS -- City mulls license for AT&T Wireless
KANSAS -- KCC wants more data on SW Bell OS proposal
NORTH CAROLINA -- Nextel transfers long distance customers to
ComTech21
CALIFORNIA -- Cogent enters Santa Clara market

REGIONAL
Cavalier Telephone to acquire Connectiv

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COLORADO -- Gov. Owens OKs 'no-call' list

Gov. Bill Owens (R.) yesterday signed legislation allowing
citizens to place their names on a "no-call" list if they don't
want to receive telemarketing calls.  Telemarketers can't contact
persons on the list unless they have an established business
relationship with them.  Violators of HB 1405 will be guilty of a
deceptive trade practice.

The Public Utilities Commission must contract by Jan. 1, 2002,
with an agent to maintain the Web site and database containing
the no-call list.  By July 1, 2002, the agent must develop the
no-call database.  The PUC must promulgate rules by April 1,
2002, to administer the database.

______________________________________________________

SOUTH CAROLINA -- Wireless carriers not required to contribute to
state USF

The Public Service Commission yesterday decided to exclude
wireless revenue from its universal service fund (USF).  State
law requires all telecom service providers to contribute to the
USF, but the law defines telecom services as "nonwireline
services provided in competition to landline service."

Verizon Wireless, Inc., and the PSC staff asked the PSC not to
require wireless companies to contribute to the USF.  There isn't
"sufficient evidence" that any wireless company competes with any
local service provider in South Carolina, the PSC said.  (Docket
no. 97-239-C)

______________________________________________________

GEORGIA -- BellSouth amends SGAT

BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., has filed a revised statement
of generally available terms and conditions (SGAT) for
interconnection, unbundled network elements, and resale services.
The revised SGAT implements recent Public Service Commission and
FCC decisions.

The SGAT includes several revisions that, among other things:
(1) clarify that BellSouth won't pay reciprocal compensation for
"fraudulent" traffic; (2) add forecasting requirements; (3)
expand requirements for notice, discontinuance of service, and
deposits; and (4) update service provider number portability
implementation procedures.  (Docket nos. 6863-U, 7253-U and
10692-U)

______________________________________________________

KANSAS -- KCC to review SW Bell proposed access cuts

The Corporation Commission has scheduled a June 27 hearing on
Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.'s proposal to reduce its
intrastate switched-access rate from about 5- to 1.2-cents a
minute.  (5/18/01)  SW Bell made the proposal as part of an
agreement among the commission staff, United Telephone Companies
of Kansas, d/b/a Sprint, Sprint Communications Co. LP, and AT&T
Corp.

AT&T and Sprint agreed to pass through SW Bell's access charge
reductions to customers.  Sprint estimated that its average
residential per-minute rates would decrease 15% to 22%.  AT&T
said its "leading consumer" residential rates would decrease by
nearly 30%.

If approved, SW Bell's switched-access rate reduction would take
effect Oct. 1 and would cost the company $25-$28 million in
annual access revenue.  The revenue reduction would be offset by
increases in rates for residential and business access lines.
Rates for basic local business service would increase to a range
of $22.25 - $33.80 per month.  Rates for local business service
with optional expanded area calling service would increase to
$41.25 per month from the current rate of $36.25 per month, the
commission said.  (Docket no. 01-GIMT-082-GIT)

______________________________________________________

VERMONT -- Commissioner Burke to begin first full term

The state Senate has confirmed the reappointment of John Burke as
commissioner to the Public Service Board.  He had been serving
the remainder of retired Commissioner Suzanne Rude's term since
December 2000.

______________________________________________________

MICHIGAN -- House OKs number-conservation measure

The House has approved a resolution urging the FCC to approve the
Public Service Commission's request for additional number-
conservation authority.  According to HR 81, many of Michigan's
area codes are exhausting quickly because of "the lack of
efficient number distribution and the lack of FCC approval for
the PSC to institute [1,000-number block pooling]."

______________________________________________________

CONNECTICUT -- OCC says AT&T has had enough time to expand
network

The Office of Consumer Council (OCC) has asked the Department of
Public Utility Control to reject AT&T Corp.'s requested cable TV
franchise agreement extensions.  The OCC filed a motion to strike
AT&T's application that would give the company more time to
expand its Lakeville system network.  AT&T hasn't completed yet
the number of network miles required by the agreement.

The DPUC has granted a franchise term extension and instituted a
hearing to review and consider AT&T's request to modify a
franchise agreement in Vernon.  The OCC recommended revoking the
extension and objected to technical meetings.  The DPUC has ruled
that "further review and consideration of AT&T's request for
additional time to complete the system upgrade is in the public
interest."

______________________________________________________

NORTH CAROLINA -- @ Communications asks UC to arbitrate
interconnect pact

@ Communications, Inc., a data competitive local exchange
carrier, has asked the Utilities Commission to arbitrate an
interconnection agreement it's negotiating with Carolina
Telephone and Telegraph Co., d/b/a Sprint.  @ Communications
objects to Sprint's requirement that it compensate Sprint for
transporting traffic outside of Sprint's local calling areas if
the company designates one point-of-interconnection (POI) per
LATA (local access and transport area).  Sprint prefers that
CLECs designate one POI per calling area, Sprint said.

Even if it bears some responsibility for transport costs, it
should be limited to the company's percentage of originating
minutes, @ Communications said.  It said Sprint's requirement
that @ Communications "bear 100% cost responsibility regardless
of the direction of the traffic" violates the FCC's
interconnection rules.  (Docket nos. P-7, sub 969; P-10, sub 611

______________________________________________________

ILLINOIS -- ICC extends Ameritech 'alt-reg' proceeding

The Commerce Commission yesterday extended the comment schedule
on a hearing examiner's proposal rejecting a proposed rate cut
for Ameritech-Illinois.  (5/24/01)  Briefs on exception now are
due June 13, and reply briefs on exception are due June 25.
Briefs originally were due June 6, and replies were due June 13.

The proposed order addresses renewing Ameritech's alternative-
regulation plan.  (Docket nos. 98-0252, 98-0335, 00-0764)

______________________________________________________

ILLINOIS -- Essex asks ICC to settle interconnect dispute

Essex Telecom, Inc., has asked the Commerce Commission to settle
a dispute the company is having with Gallatin River
Communications LLC over implementing their interconnection
agreement.  According to Essex, Gallatin wants Essex to bear the
entire cost of the originating switching and transport within and
from each Gallatin local calling area to the interconnection
point (IP).

Essex has selected the Gallatin tandem in Dixon as its IP in the
LATA (local access and transport area).  Essex has established
collocation with Gallatin in Dixon.  The Essex switch is in
Sterling.

Essex says it wants to serve some customers "though what Gallatin
describes as 'virtual NXX service.'"  Essex, however, says it
provides service between the customer's physical location and the
NXX on its network.

According to Essex, "Gallatin takes the position that Essex must
compensate Gallatin for calls originated by Gallatin's customers,
routed over Gallatin's network, delivered to Essex at the IP and
then transported and terminated from the Dixon IP to the Sterling
POP to any user not physically located in the same NXX rate
center as the calling party."

Essex says Gallatin demands that it (1) have its customers pay
Gallatin for a business line between Dixon and Sterling, (2)
resell Gallatin's business line service to its customers, or (3)
pay exchange access to Gallatin before it will exchange such
traffic.  (Docket no. 01-0427 - Complaint and Request for Dispute
Resolution of Essex Telecom, Inc., Against Gallatin River
Communications LLC)

______________________________________________________

FLORIDA -- Sprint wants Verizon to resell features on 'stand-
alone' basis

Sprint Communications Co. LP has asked the Public Service
Commission to require Verizon Florida, Inc., to resell its
features on a stand-alone basis.  Verizon won't resell its
features at wholesale rates unless they are packaged with
Verizon's local dial-tone service, Sprint said.

Verizon's refusal to resell its features on a stand-alone basis
prevents Sprint from offering Internet call waiting or forwarding
to a wireless phone, "follow me" service, and "competitive"
voice-mail service, Sprint said in a petition asking the
commission to arbitrate renewal of its interconnection agreement
with Verizon.

______________________________________________________

CONNECTICUT -- '711' to be operational by mid July

The Department of Public Utility Control has set a July 16
implementation date for access to the state's telecommunications
relay service (TRS) using the abbreviated dialing code "711."
Currently, the state's TRS is accessed using an "800" number.
(5/18/99)

Because a majority of carriers support the "implementation of
education and outreach programs," the Department also has
required all carriers to develop and submit a 711 education and
outreach program jointly.  (Docket no. 99-05-15, DPUC
Investigation into the Use of 711 dialing to Access
Telecommunications Relay Service network)

______________________________________________________

MAINE -- Report extends area code's projected exhaust

The projected exhaust date for the "207" area code has been
lengthened by three years, according to a recent report by the
North American Numbering Plan administrator (NANPA).  The area
code, now projected to exhaust during third quarter 2005, was
delayed by the implementation of 1,000-number block pooling in
June 2000.  "Given that three years ago, the [NANPA] told us that
a new area code would be needed by June of 2000, we believe our
efforts have been well spent," said Public Utilities Commission
Chairman Thomas Welch.

______________________________________________________

MICHIGAN -- '269' to be new area code for '616' 'split'

The Public Service Commission has announced that "269" has been
assigned as the new area code for the portion being "split" from
the "616" area code.  The PSC order the split to relieve number
exhaustion in 616 earlier this week.  (6/6/01)

A north/south geographic split will be implemented with a
dividing line that follows the northern boundaries of Saugatuck,
Hamilton, Hopkins, Wayland, Middleville, Hastings, and Woodland
rate centers.  Customers in and to the south of these rate
centers will receive a new area code.  Customers to the north of
the rate centers will retain 616.

Permissive dialing will begin by July 13, 2002, and mandatory
dialing will begin Feb. 15, 2003.  Wireless carriers will have an
extended permissive dialing period through Feb. 15, 2004.  (Case
no. U-12850)

______________________________________________________

COLORADO -- ICG to withdraw from residential market

Bankrupt competitive local exchange carrier ICG Communications,
Inc., has informed the Public Utilities Commission that it plans
to withdraw from the residential local exchange service market.

The PUC will consider the application during its June 27 regular
meeting, a PUC spokeswoman told TR.  She said that ICG hasn't
disclosed to the PUC the number of Colorado residential customers
that it has.

______________________________________________________

ILLINOIS -- City mulls license for AT&T Wireless

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley (D.) yesterday introduced an
ordinance that would authorize the Department of Aviation to
enter a license agreement with AT&T Wireless Services, Inc.
Under the agreement, AT&T would construct, install, operate, and
maintain radio-frequency transmission and reception systems at
O'Hare International and Midway airports.

______________________________________________________

KANSAS -- KCC wants more data on SW Bell OS proposal

The Corporation Commission has extended the deadline for
reviewing Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.'s application to
deregulate its operator and directory assistance services.  The
commission extended the deadline from May 21 to June 25.

The staff asked the commission provide more time to review SW
Bell's request.  "No service-specific data has been provided to
support [SW Bell's] claim of rampant competition for these
operator services," the staff said.  (Docket no. 01-SWBT-932-MIS)

______________________________________________________

NORTH CAROLINA -- Nextel transfers long distance customers to
ComTech21

The Utilities Commission has approved Nextel Long Distance's
application to transfer about 990 of its long distance customers
to ComTech21 LLC.  ComTech21 will notify affected customers that
it will provide service at the same or better rates and that 
customers have the right to switch their long distance service to
another provider.  (Docket nos. P-735, sub 1; P-995, sub 1)

______________________________________________________

CALIFORNIA -- Cogent enters Santa Clara market

Cogent Communications, Inc., today announced that it has begun
providing high-speed Internet service to Santa Clara customers.
The company serves commercial end-user tenants and service
providers in central business districts or business corridors of
major cities, including Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Dallas,
Denver, Boston, San Francisco, Kansas City, and Washington, D.C.

______________________________________________________

DELAWARE, MARYLAND, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA --
Cavalier Telephone to acquire Connectiv

Cavalier Telephone LLC, a Virginia-based competitive local
exchange carrier (CLEC), has entered into an agreement to acquire
Connectiv Communications, Inc., a CLEC based in Newark, Del.  The
merger will result in the largest CLEC in the Mid Atlantic, with
130,000 installed telephone lines and 1,200 miles of fiber optic
cable.  It will serve Delaware, northern Maryland, southern New
Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania, and Virginia.


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Senior Research Analyst

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Senior Telecommunications Analyst

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Senior Research Analyst

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