Although the Commission states that reform is most important for price cap LECs because those LECs will be the first to be subject to competition from the availability of unbundled network elements, in another sense reform may even be more important in those areas where unbundled network elements are not available. Access charge reform is important to LECs that will face competition, but it is also very important to interexchange carriers that pay access charges and already face competition. Interexchange competition exists in the rural areas where unbundled network elements may not soon be available. In those locations, interexchange carriers may not have the unbundled network elements available as an alternative means of access. Such carriers need access charge reform even more than do carriers that can use unbundled elements as a means of access, at least for their own local customers.
Interexchange competition is now available in very rural areas.
As discussed below, competition in these areas is the very best means to ensure high quality service at low rates. To the extent that the Commission neglects access charge reform in these areas, interexchange competition will suffer. The importance of fostering competition in rural areas is vividly demonstrated by recent history as documented in the Alaska Joint Board proceeding. Nonetheless, the citizens that live in the locations where Alascom had exclusive authority receive the worst quality interexchange telephone service in Alaska. Voice communications is difficult between these location, and it is sometimes impossible to send faxes between them because of the antiquated technology.