WASHINGTON-The Personal Communications Industry Association last week applauded a new Federal Communications Commission’s ruling that Ameritech Corp.’s imposition of local number portability end-user charges on commercial wireless carriers is illegal.
“We consider this a big victory for all carriers that use Type 1 interconnection,” said Angela Giancarlo, director of federal regulatory affairs at PCIA.
The finding was part of a July 16 FCC tariff order that investigated whether Ameritech, GTE Corp., Pacific Bell and Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.’s methods for allocating number portability costs were reasonable.
PCIA and Arch Communications Inc. challenged Ameritech’s number portability charges in the proceeding.
“As Arch and PCIA argue, the Third Report and Order allows incumbent LECs [local exchange companies] to assess number portability end-user charges on other carriers only in instances where the incumbent LECs provide those carriers with number portability functionality, whether by resale or the sale of unbundled switch ports,” the FCC stated.
The agency ordered Ameritech to cease end-user charges on commercial wireless carrier Type 1 trunks and to refund any end-user charges it has imposed on wireless carriers to date.
Giancarlo said landline telcos have to understand that commercial wireless licensees are co-carriers, not end users.
