Bell Atlantic tries new long-distance route: Competitors call New Jersey plan 'laughable'

Bell Atlantic last week offered up a new plan to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities that the regional Bell operating company claims should allow it into the long-distance market. Competitors, however, said the proposal amounts to little more than a stalling tactic.

Responding to the findings of a July proceeding, Bell Atlantic's latest plan includes offers to combine network elements for residential service, develop a database to track service problems and offer computer connections directly into the RBOC's operations support systems.

"Our board felt there were some issues that needed to be addressed, and they laid out a very specific plan," said Anne Kraus-Keenan, senior manager of regulatory policy for Bell Atlantic-New Jersey.

In bundling network elements, the company said it's offering competitors new resale opportunities. AT&T said the effort was hollow after the BPU found less than 1% of consumers have a choice in local service providers.

"To look at Bell [Atlantic] requesting a favorable approval of entry into long-distance seems laughable since the board hasn't changed its mind," said an AT&T spokesman.

The other parts of Bell Atlantic's plan are designed to cut down on delays in processing competitor's requests for local service. As many as 25% of AT&T's requests for service in New Jersey are not fulfilled in time, the spokesman said.

"We've set up a specific escalation process so they know exactly who to call," said Kraus-Keenan.

AT&T said the company's latest offer is unacceptable and will ask regulators to accept nothing less than was offered in New York, where Bell Atlantic also has applied to offer long-distance. "We would think the states should use New York as an example and build on that," said the spokesman.