SBC wins long-distance approval in Arkansas, Missouri

SBC Communications again moved to the front of the Bell companies’ race into long-distance service with FCC approvals of its Section 271 applications for Arkansas and Missouri.

Announced Friday, the FCC decision means that SBC can offer long-distance service in all five states in its Southwestern Bell region--Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas being the others. SBC has not secured long-distance approvals in any of the states in its territories acquired via mergers--two Pacific Bell states and six Ameritech states.

Although the long-distance market is struggling amid fierce competition, Bell companies believe entering this arena is still important as they try to grow revenues via bundled services and advanced data offerings that require transporting traffic outside their regions.

“We look forward to the day when we can offer long distance service to customers throughout our 13-state service area,” said Cassandra Carr, SBC’s senior executive vice president-external affairs, in a statement. “The fact that SBC has earned FCC’s approval to enter the long distance market in all five SBC Southwestern Bell states will help as we work with other state and federal regulators to bring the benefits of long distance competition and choice to consumers throughout our entire service area.”

SBC and Verizon Communications are the only Bell companies to secure long-distance approvals from the FCC. Verizon is selling long-distance services in New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut. BellSouth has received no long-distance approvals from the FCC, but applications are pending for the states of Georgia and Louisiana. Qwest Communications has yet to submit a Section 271 application to the FCC.

--Donny Jackson, news editor