BellSouth files Section 271 applications for Georgia, Louisiana

BellSouth today filed applications with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide interLATA long distance service in Georgia and Louisiana, where it is the incumbent. The FCC has 90 days to consider the request.

The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) this morning voted unanimously to endorse BellSouth's application. The Louisiana PSC provided unanimous endorsement of BellSouth's application in that state on Sept. 19.

In a statement, the Georgia commission said it had "initiated numerous major dockets" over the past six years to gauge BellSouth's compliance with various aspects of the 1996 Telecom Act, and that the carrier had passed the test.

Jere Drummond, vice chairman of BellSouth, said that with competitors serving more than 1 million access lines in the two states, the evidence is clear that the company has met the requirements of the Telecom Act.

"I am optimistic that the FCC will agree with these two state commissions that BellSouth's local markets are open and that our operational support systems function appropriately," Drummond said in a statement.

--Glenn Bischoff, senior writer