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Who would have thought the day might come when we would be comparing prices for intra-LATA toll services? Traditionally a local exchange carrier (LEC) domain, intra-LATA toll services are worth $90 billion in annual revenues to LECs...certainly not something they want to give up.
Regulators made the unthinkable a reality. Through a continuing stream of progressive revisions to existing regulations, the local services market is suddenly fair game for a growing number of competitors. And guess whose local facilities are being used to help deliver service for the competition?
Mainstream inter-LATA long-distance carriers, such as AT&T and MCI, have thrown their hats into the intra-LATA toll ring. Other leading local access providers, such as MFS Communications and Teleport Communications Group (TCG), are taking advantage of regulations that permit collocation of non-LEC switching exchange equipment within LEC central offices. The New York Public Service Commission is among the leading regulators to stimulate collocation and local access competition.
Changing LECs can be an ordeal, unless you are prepared. Savings can be significant, unless the LEC introduces its own revised intra-LATA tariff. Many...