They later will establish their own facilities and equipment, company officials say. Dick Alligood of Allcomm Long Distance said he has a representative at the hearing to protect his interests. Allcomm is among 100 companies in Texas interested in providing local telephone service. Alligood said his application hinges on the PUC's decision about interconnection, portability and charges. The companies asked the PUC earlier this year to arbitrate final negotiations with the state's dominant local phone company.
Sprint is in separate negotiations.
Talks between potential competitors and GTE are ongoing. Alligood said he hopes to pay a reasonable fee to use the system already in place in Pecos in the initial stages, but each provider must have its own lines in place within five years. We have to build our own infrastructure within five years or our license will be revoked. One reason for the restrictions is to guarantee that rural areas will still have infrastructure in place after the new companies take over local service, he said. These companies are looking at opening competition in major areas.