A vital aspect of these principles is to promote economic efficiency. We want to eliminate pricing distortions that would dissuade an efficient provider from entering the market. We try to avoid distortions that would cause an inefficient provider to enter. We seek to enable competitive entry without favoring resellers over facilities-based competitors, or vice versa. We have encountered difficulties in addressing the administrative aspects of interconnection.
Number portability is one example.
There are different ways to achieve it, with different technical and economic consequences. Even more complex is the array of issues associated with ordering and billing of services. We would prefer that the details of these arrangements be negotiated by the industry participants themselves. But experience has taught us that these matters are unlikely to be resolved without a process for quick and certain dispute resolution. Universal telephone service is a goal we all share.