STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER ROBERT M. McDOWELL
Re: Section 272(f)(1) Sunset of the BOC Separate Affiliate and Related Requirements; 
2000 Biennial Regulatory Review Separate Affiliate Requirements of Section 
64.1903 of the Commission’sRules; Petition of AT&T Inc. for Forbearance Under 
47 U.S.C. Sec. 160(c) with Regard to Certain Dominant Carrier Regulations for In-
Region Interchange Services, WC Docket No. 02- 112, CC Docket No. 00-175, 
and WC Docket No. 06-120, Report and Order and Memorandum Opinion and 
Order
Petition of AT&T Inc. for Forbearance Under 47 U.S.C. § 160(c) with Regard to 
Certain Dominant Carrier Regulations for In-Region, Interexchange Services, WC 
Docket No. 06-120, Memorandum Opinion and Order
In these orders, we grant relief from dominant carrier regulation of the Bell Operating 
Companies’ (BOCs’) in-region, interstate, long distance services.  This is a classic instance where 
regulation had been appropriate to protect emerging competitors and consumers, but where the 
relevant market has become sufficiently competitive to warrant less onerous regulation, while 
continuing to protect consumers.  
In place of the outmoded regulation, we establish a more appropriate regulatory 
framework that responds to the level of competition in the long distance services market and is 
uniformly applicable to all the BOCs. One of those safeguards is the adoption of special access 
metrics that were approved in the BOC Merger Orders and the Qwest Section 272 Sunset 
Forbearance Order.  This is an example where a condition of specific mergers has market-wide 
validity.  I am pleased to support adoption of this narrowly-tailored requirement on a uniform 
basis.  Our order today also establishes regulatory parity.  
While we grant relief to the BOCs, the independent incumbent local exchange carriers 
continue to be subjected to regulation that may be ripe for a lighter regulatory touch.  If those 
carriers choose to seek such relief, I would seriously consider those requests based on relevant 
substantiation of their competitive situations.
I thank Chairman Martin for his leadership and hard work on these orders and I am 
delighted to support his effort.