State of New Jersey

STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Division of The Ratepayer Advocate
31 Clinton Street, 11th Fl.
P. O. Box 46005
Newark, New Jersey 07101

RICHARD J. CODEY
Acting Governor

SEEMA M. SINGH, Esq.
Ratepayer Advocate

Press Release

For Immediate Release
August 6, 2005

For Further Information
Contact: Robyn Roberts
Tel: 973-648-2690

N.J. Ratepayer Advocate Challenges FCC’s Decision Eliminating
Telecommunications Service Competition for Residential and Small
Business Consumers and Restricting States’ Authority on Rates


Newark, N.J.-- Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh has filed a brief challenging the portion of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) decision that ends competitive choice for residential and small business customers served by local telecommunications carriers. The Ratepayer Advocate also contested the FCC’s decision to limit a state’s ability to set rates for local services, thereby ending rate setting authority for certain switching services.

The Ratepayer Advocate asked for reversal of the FCC’s ruling in the Triennial Review Remand Order regarding competitive local exchange carriers’ provision of a service called Unbundled Network Elements Platform services. In addition, the Ratepayer Advocate requested the court to affirm the right of state commissions, such as New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities, to set intrastate rates. The Ratepayer Advocate filed its brief on July 26, 2005.

“The very heart of this case is whether residential and small business customers will have the benefits they were intended to have under the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 and that local service rates will be set by state commissions only and not by the FCC,” said Singh. “Without reversal of this decision, consumers will lose out in the end, paying higher rates and having less choice.”

The FCC made its ruling on Feb. 4, 2005.

The Division of the Ratepayer Advocate is an independent state agency that represents the interests of utility consumers and serves as an active participant in every proceeding whenever New Jersey utilities seek changes in their rates or services. The Ratepayer Advocate also gives consumers a voice in setting long-range energy, water, and telecommunications policy that will affect the delivery of utility services well into the future.

Additional information on this and other matters can be found at the Division of Ratepayer Advocate’s website at http://www.rpa.state.nj.us

BACK | HOME