If approved, this merger of the nation's second largest long distance company with the nation's third largest long distance company will create a monolithic company with extreme power over consumers. The Federal Communications Commission must now revisit its position opposing applications by the BOCs to gain entry into the long distance voice and data markets. The 1996 Telecom Act gives the FCC plenty of latitude to approve long distance applications from the BOCs. Since the Act was passed, the BOCs have spent billions of dollars to open their networks to local competition, resulting in the level of competition growing at an extraordinary pace. Additionally, the MCI Worldcom-Sprint merger should be subject to the identical scrutiny and analysis from the FCC that was required by the BOCs in their merger applications.
Consumers deserve better than a duopolistic long-distance marketplace.
For more than 100 years, USTA has been representing the interests of the small, mid-size and large companies of the nation's local exchange carrier industry. The association represents more than 1,200 companies worldwide that provide local exchange, long distance, wireless, Internet, and cable services.