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 NEWS  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.  Cir.  974).  News  Media  Information  202/  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT:  November  7,  2003  Suzanne  Tetreault  (202)  418-  7450 
 suzanne.  tetreault@  fcc.  gov 


 FCC  AWARDS  $12  MILLION  IN  DAMAGES  TO  COMPETITIVE  LOCAL  EXCHANGE  CARRIER  STARPOWER  FOR  VIOLATION  OF 
 INTERCONNECTION  AGREEMENT  BY  VERIZON 


 Washington,  D.  C.  –  Today,  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  awarded  approximately  $12  million  in  damages  to  Starpower  Communications,  LLC,  a  competitive  local  exchange 
 carrier,  for  violation  of  an  interconnection  agreement  by  Verizon  South  Inc.,  an  incumbent  local  exchange  carrier. 


 The  FCC  had  previously  ruled  in  the  liability  phase  of  the  proceeding  that  the  parties’  interconnection  agreement  obligates  Verizon  South  to  pay  reciprocal  compensation  to  Starpower 
 for  certain  categories  of  calls  to  Starpower’s  internet  service  provider  customers.  The  order  adopted  today  addressed  the  damages  phase  of  the  proceeding.  The  Commission  awarded 
 damages  to  Starpower  in  the  amount  of  $12,059,149,  plus  prejudgment  and  post-  judgment  interest  at  the  annual  rate  of  nine  percent. 


 Action  by  the  Commission  on  November  7,  2003,  by  Memorandum  Opinion  and  Order,  FCC  03-  278. 
 Enforcement  Bureau  contacts:  Suzanne  Tetreault  at  (202)  418-  7450  and  Lisa  Griffin  at  (202)  418-  7330 
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