West Virginia Examines LEC Competition

The West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) is investigating whether to adopt rules it could apply "in the event of competition" in the telecommunications local exchange market. It said it would not promulgate its own proposed rules at this time, and invited submission of suggested rules by February 21, 1995. Re Competition for Local Exchange Services, Case No. 94-1102-T-GI, Nov. 23, 1994 (W.Va.P.S.C.).

The PSC also initiated a separate investigation into intraLATA toll service competition and equal access as a result of an incentive regulation/rate freeze proposal by Bell Atlantic-West Virginia, a local exchange carrier (LEC). The LEC had asked the PSC to approve a settlement agreement prescribing a new form of regulation and preserving Bell's status as the state's presubscribed "1+" intraLATA carrier until the LEC is permitted to enter the interLATA long-distance market. Deciding to investigate toll market competition separately, the PSC agreed to keep the proposed rate freeze in effect only if Bell retained its presubscription advantage in the intraLATA market or was allowed to compete for interLATA callers. Re IntraLATA Competition, Case No. 94-1103-T-GI, Nov. 23, 1994 (W.Va.P.S.C.).