Several matters before the FCC could have substantial dollar and technology impacts for enterprise customers. The FCC’s special access services and USF contribution reform proceedings could significantly affect pricing for enterprise services, beginning sometime in 2014. A more open-ended proceeding focuses on whether the FCC will move aggressively in granting AT&T’s wish list included in its proposal to convert its local telephone networks to all-IP platforms.
One matter that should be addressed this year is the appeal of the FCC’s Open Internet Order currently pending before the D.C. Circuit. Because this is such a prominent matter, we believe the non-prevailing parties likely will petition the Supreme Court for review.
FCC Taking a Fresh Look at Special Access Services. In an earlier entry, we highlighted the FCC’s reassessment of the interstate special access services market. Subsequently, the FCC released a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, setting out a comprehensive data request to price cap ILECs and other services providers to determine the extent of competition among providers of special access services, principally, DS-1, DS-3 and Ethernet special access services. Ethernet service broadly is undergoing rapid growth. The FCC is taking a direct approach to determine whether special access rates are competitively priced.
We propose to perform a one-time, multi-faceted market analysis of the special access market designed to determine where and when special access prices are just and reasonable, and whether our current special access regulations help or hinder this desired outcome. We do not propose to conduct a simple market share or market concentration analysis. Rather, we will use the data we are collecting in this Report and Order to identify measures of actual and potential competition that are good predictors of competitive behavior, for example, by demonstrating that prices tend to decline with increases in the intensity of various competition measures, holding other things constant. In undertaking that analysis we will consider evidence as to what leads firms, including competitive providers, to undertake infrastructure investments.
Clearly, a fresh look at the special access services market (data for years 2010 and 2012 are being requested) is warranted.
Two points merit further note. First, the FCC is seeking comment on whether Internet access service is a competitive alternative to special access services. Hopefully, the FCC will conclude the services are not substitutes. Internet access service is not an “access service,” rather it is part and parcel of an end-to-end best efforts shared transport and information access and retrieval service. Special access is basic transport between defined physical locations. Second, the FCC is requesting comment on the “Petition to Reverse Forbearance Determinations,” filed late last year by an enterprise customer group, Sprint and several interexchange carriers that requests the FCC to reverse decisions issued prior to 2010 in which the FCC elected to forbear from (i) imposing certain Computer Inquiry requirements on the price cap ILECs, and (ii) regulating non-TDM based special access services offered by price cap ILECs, particularly Ethernet services.Continue Reading Telecom Policy Projections for 2013 and 2014–Wireline Services and Enterprise Customers