MCI WORLDCOM RESPONDS TO BELL ATLANTIC DELAY TACTICS IN
PENNSYLVANIA
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Background: Bell Atlantic today filed an appeal of the
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission's (PUC) September 30 local
telephone competition order, which outlines what the monopoly must do to
open its local phone markets to competition.
(Please attribute the following statement to Carl Giesy, regional
director for MCI WorldCom Public Policy)
HARRISBURG, PA, October 21, 1999 -- "The PUC has established a model
blueprint for bringing local phone competition to Pennsylvania. When the
PUC issued its order, MCI WorldCom challenged Bell Atlantic to implement
it immediately, rather than stall and delay. True to its monopoly
heritage, Bell Atlantic's action today could further postpone the opening
of local phone markets in the Commonwealth.
"More telling, Bell Atlantic's decision to appeal the PUC's
pro-competitive blueprint reveals its true face. Contrary to Bell
Atlantic-Pennsylvania President Daniel Whelan's words in an August 17
press release advising competitors to 'stop the foolishness and bring full
competition to Pennsylvania,' Bell Atlantic has chosen to use legal
tactics to protect its monopoly rather than bring the benefits of full
competition to Pennsylvanians.
"Regardless of Bell Atlantic's legal maneuvering, MCI WorldCom urges
the PUC to continue implementation of its landmark order. Only that will
allow competitors like MCI WorldCom to offer competitive local phone
service to business and residential customers across the state, just like
we're doing for more than 160,000 residential customers in New York. The
court should reject Bell Atlantic's appeal of the PUC's order so consumers
in Pennsylvania will finally see the same competition their neighbors in
New York are seeing today."
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