*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 5574.doc*
 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT: 
 December18,  2000  Michael  Balmoris  (202)  418-  0253 
 Email:  mbalmori@  fcc.  gov 


 Statement  of  FCC  Chairman  William  E.  Kennard  on  Verizon  271  Filing 
 Washington,  D.  C.  –  Verizon  Communications,  Inc.  (Verizon)  is  expected  to  file 
 today  an  ex  parte,  which  asks  that  its  pending  application  for  long  distance  service  in 
 Massachusetts  be  withdrawn.  The  Commission’s  primary  and  steadfast  objective  in 
 evaluating  Bell  Operating  Company  long  distance  applications  is  to  ensure  that  new 
 competitors  have  meaningful  opportunities  to  compete  in  local  markets.  Verizon  came 
 close  to  meeting  this  standard  in  Massachusetts.  A  re-  filed  application  should  contain 
 verified  data  reflecting  acceptable  levels  of  performance,  including  an  independent 
 showing  for  loops  used  to  provide  advanced  services,  and  sufficient  information  to  permit 
 competitors  an  adequate  opportunity  to  respond. 


 Specifically,  I  believe  the  company  needs  to  address  the  following  issues  that  have 
 been  raised  in  this  record: 


 1.  Non-  discriminatory  provisioning  of  loops  used  by  competitors  to  provide 
 advanced  services; 


 2.  Improved  access  to  the  systems  and  information  necessary  to  order  loops  used 
 to  provide  advanced  services;  and, 


 3.  Pricing  of  elements  used  by  competitors,  which  reflects  forward-  looking  costs. 
 Throughout  this  process,  the  Massachusetts  Department  of  Telecommunications 
 and  Energy  (DTE)  has  undertaken  tremendous  efforts  to  ensure  that  local  markets  in 
 Massachusetts  are  open  to  competition.  I  personally  appreciate  the  commitment  of 
 Chairman  Connelly,  Commissioner  Vasington  and  other  Commissioners  and  staff  of  the 
 DTE  and  look  forward  to  working  with  them  in  ensuring  that  consumers  in  Massachusetts 
 receive  the  benefits  of  full  and  open  competition  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts. 


 --  FCC  -- 
1