IURC News Release

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission                                                         

302 West Washington Street, Room 306                                                                        

Indianapolis Indiana 46204

317.232.2297 office                                                                   

317.233.1982 fax

www.state.in.gov/iurc

 

Contact:  Mary Beth Fisher

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                   

February 27, 2002

 

IURC APPROVES UNE RATES FOR COLLOCATION WITH VERIZON

 

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission took steps attempting to increase telephone competition

in Indiana today, by approving  pricing for some unbundled network elements (UNEs).

 

In Cause No. 40618-S1, the Commissioners approved a settlement agreement submitted by Sprint, Verizon and Time Warner Telecom and the Office of the Indiana Utility Consumer Counselor which   sets the parameters for the collocation of competitive local telephone companies at Verizon facilities. 

Collocation occurs when a CLEC occupies space and locates equipment in an  Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier’s (ILECs ) Central office to provide services to its customers and interconnects with the ILEC. 

 

 The Telecommunications Act of 1996 entitles competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) to lease  all of the pieces of Verizon’s network needed for competition or just a  part of Verizon’s local network, giving the competitors access to the same network elements that Verizon uses to serve its own retail customers.

 

Since 1998 the FCC has issued a number of orders on what new elements and services ILECs must offer to CLECs. To set the rates for these new elements and services, the IURC initiated Cause No. 40618-S1.  Given the number of elements and services that needed new rates, the parties agreed to set the rates in phases.  The collocation issue was addressed in the first phase.  

 

On May 7, 1998, in Cause No. 40618, the IURC issued an Order setting the rates for many elements of the services Verizon leases to competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs). The IURC denied Verizon’s request to increase the cost of capital, which was set in 40618

 

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