Pacific Bell's Interconnection Agreement with MFS Criticized by MCI

The interconnection agreement announced by Pacific Bell with MFS Communications has been met with criticism by MCI, a major competitor in the California market. MCI's Senior Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, James L. Lewis, has stated that the agreement is a bad deal for local competition and California consumers. According to Lewis, the agreement allows Pacific Bell to sell key services to MFS at inflated prices, giving Pacific Bell a significant advantage over its competitors.

Key Takeaways:

• The interconnection agreement between Pacific Bell and MFS has been criticized by MCI as a bad deal for local competition and California consumers.
• The agreement allows Pacific Bell to sell local number portability and unbundled loop services to MFS at prices far above Pacific's costs and rates charged to its own customers.
• MCI's Senior Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, James L. Lewis, has stated that MFS has surrendered California's residential telephone market to Pacific Bell by paying inflated prices for these services.
• The agreement is seen as a gentlemen's agreement between a monopolist (Pacific Bell) and a company desperate to make a deal (MFS).
• MCI and its partners in the California Telecommunications Coalition plan to continue pressing Pacific Bell to offer residential interconnection services at reasonable rates.

Statistics:

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Sources:

• PRNewswire statement attributed to James L. Lewis, MCI Senior Vice President for Regulatory Affairs
• Contact information for Robert W. Stewart of MCI