MCI, AT&T: Local dialing codes subvert competition

Abstract

Telephone companies say that progress toward full local exchange competition has been undermined by the 5-digit dialing codes customers must use if they want any carrier other than the incumbent local exchange carrier to route their toll calls. State regulators are being urged to force the incumbent carriers to make technology upgrades that will do away with the 5-digit codes in favor of 1+ dialing. AT&T and MCI have filed proposals with regulatory agencies in at least 15 states urging that the dialing codes be dropped.