Payne said GTE has long supported national efforts to encourage competition but is contesting rulings it believes are unfair. The government orders would require the company to sell access to its Hawaii phone network at prices well below cost, giving competitors an unfair advantage, he said. But the commission has rapped the utility on several occasions for being unreasonable or uncooperative, effectively hindering competition. GTE has appealed the ruling to the Hawaii Supreme Court, claiming it is being forced to dispose of assets. Until the fine was levied, GTE was reluctant to provide TelHawaii with information essential for taking over the Ka'u market, and TelHawaii several times had to ask regulators to intervene, said General Manager Dan Gordon.
Similar sentiment is voiced by other competitors.
The commission eventually had to arbitrate an agreement. But the two companies are at such odds that they can't even agree on what the commission's arbitration order says, further prolonging the process. Payne said GTE's competitors are making unreasonable demands and therefore have only themselves to blame for the delays. But GST's arrangement limits the company to serving only buildings it connects to its network. Whether a company builds its own network or piggybacks onto GTE's, providing the service requires significant financial resources.