Access Charge Reform; Reform of Access Charges Imposed by Competitive Local Exchange Carriers

By this document, the Commission denies a number of petitions for reconsideration of the tariff rules governing the charges for interstate switched access services provided by competitive local exchange carriers (LECs). Although the Commission denies the petitions for reconsideration, it addresses a number of issues raised in petitions for clarification and amends the rules accordingly. The Commission also concludes that it is not necessary to immediately cap competitive LEC access rates for toll-free traffic at the rate of the competing incumbent LEC. With this decision, the Commission retains the benchmark regime governing interstate switched access services provided by competitive LECs and clarifies application of the regime in several respects.