April 13, 2017
Download: ExParte_re_Clyburn_BDSMtg_04.13.17_dgh.krs_.pdf
On April 11, 2017, Jonathan Spalter (by telephone), Jon Banks and I of USTelecom met with Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and her Wireline Legal Advisor Claude Aiken to discuss the draft Order in the above-referenced proceedings. USTelecom expressed support for the Commission’s efforts to advance this long-pending proceeding by adopting reasonable measures to identify where BDS is not competitive and to ensure that pricing protections remain in such areas. We also explained that the Commission last granted special access pricing relief more than a decade ago, and thus the additional relief proposed here appropriately reflects the measured, incremental progress of competition in the BDS market over that time period. With regard to the need for additional transition periods for competitors that currently rely on regulated pricing, we noted that because additional pricing flexibility relief has been “frozen” (and thus anticipated) for over 5 years and existing contracts will not be interrupted, competitors likely will not be harmed by the lack of a formal, lengthy transition period.