The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) has initiated an investigation into the terms and conditions of 18 special access service tariff pricing plans of AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier, and Verizon. The decision to investigate the price cap incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) tariff pricing plans was made based on allegations from competitive LECs that the plans are unreasonable and anticompetitive. A total of seven issues have been designated for investigation by the Bureau. AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier, and Verizon must now provide targeted data on the terms and conditions of the tariff pricing plans in question. According to the Bureau, designating the plans for investigation does not mean the Bureau has prejudged the lawfulness of the plans, but merely indicates that sufficient questions have been raised to justify an investigation.
