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Ohio Commission Says ILEC Unbundling, Resale Duties Still Relevant

Unbundling and resale obligations aren’t obsolete yet, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) commented Friday in docket 18-141. PUCO opposed a USTelecom forbearance petition seeking FCC relief for ILECs from wholesale unbundling discount and resale duties (see 1808030026). “Many…

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competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) in Ohio must still rely on the availability of unbundled network elements (UNEs) and resale services to serve their customers,” the commission said. PUCO said it’s not won over by USTelecom revising its proposal to nearly double the amount of time telcos wouldn't be able to raise prices for unbundled network element connections that competitors can use to reach their own customers (see 1806220027). “While the Ohio Commission recognizes that the evolving telecommunications industry has undergone significant changes since the passage of the [Telecom] Act in 1996, it nonetheless believes that even following USTelecom’s proposed modification to its forbearance request, the provisions contained in sections 251 and 252 will likely continue to play an important role in promoting a competitive telecommunications market beyond the time period contemplated in the proposal.”