DSL Reports notes that AT&T has successfully petitioned the FCC to lift regulations on charges for third parties renting its broadband infrastructure. Verizon earned a similar concession last year, as Reuters notes.
Opposing the change are consumer groups as well as smaller operators like Sprint, XO and Time Warner Telecom, who contend that AT&T will be able to exploit its dominant infrastructure position to shut out competition by extracting high prices.
The FCC issued an order showing a 3-2 vote along party lines Thursday to grant AT&T’s “substantial” but not total relief. The full order is here (pdf). The decision freed up AT&T from having to adhere to detailed rate obligations, but didn’t grant the wider freedom it had been seeking.
This means that competitive carriers would no longer be able to see what AT&T generally charges business customers for providing some forms of broadband service, and thus be able to price their own services accordingly, notes Reuters.
In other AT&T news, the company announced yesterday that Stan Sigman, president and chief executive officer, AT&T Mobility, will retire after 42 years with the company. Ralph de la Vega (right), group president-Regional Telecom & Entertainment, was named president and CEO, AT&T Mobility, replacing Sigman, effective immediately. Sigman will assist with the transition through year-end.
.gif)
