Opinion ID: 1151164
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the corporation commission is within its authority to order blocking as an alternative to compensation.

Text: MCI argues that if its intraLATA calls are blocked while AT & T's calls are diverted, as the result of having the superior FGD connection, to the local exchange carrier's network, MCI will be perceived as being an inferior network. MCI argues that AT & T will be perceived as being capable of completing intraLATA calls even though the calls are actually transferred to the local exchange carrier. Sprint argues that because the necessity for blocking will decrease as equal access is added, costs incurred to install blocking equipment would be inadvisable as the equipment would soon be rendered obsolete. Sprint also argues that blocking would cause confusion to customers who do not readily appreciate the difference between making interLATA long distance calls and intraLATA long distance calls. Finally, Sprint argues that blocking would result in greater costs to the local exchange companies, which would be passed on to customers, because an additional call would have to be made, after the first is blocked. Sprint claims that every party except Southwestern Bell took the position that requiring blocking of intraLATA traffic over FBA or FGB interconnections would not be feasible and should not be adopted by the Commission. The short answer to these concerns is that if the problem is temporary, then the appellants have the alternative choice to compensate the local exchange carriers for the unauthorized intraLATA calls. One of the concerns of the Commission was that the situation may not be as temporary as it was led to believe. Accordingly, many of the arguments against blocking would fail. Again we find that the findings and conclusions of law of the Commission with regard to this issue are sustained by the law and the substantial evidence.