Bill Would Place At&T; On Call Waiting

The Senate Energy, Telecommunications and Utilities Committee heard lively debate Tuesday on a bill that would keep AT&T from providing long-distance phone service within the state.

US West contends it could face significant losses if AT&T is allowed in the market.

HB1111, sponsored by Rep. Sarah Casada, R-Puyallup, would block for three years AT&T’s effort to compete equally with US West for instate long-distance customers. The ban would be lifted if federal regulators allow US West to compete in the national long-distance market.

Federal regulations currently bar US West from that market, which is dominated by AT&T and MCI Communications. US West also cannot carry calls between the 206 and 509 area codes in Washington.

“The Legislature neither has the authority nor the jurisdiction to solve this problem,” said Casada. “We need this bill until the federal government can solve the problem.”

Casey Cochrane of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce agreed the Legislature should step in temporarily.

“Let’s pass this bill, and let the federal government intervene and do their job,” Cochrane said.

Critics of the bill say it should be scrapped while the Utilities and Transportation Commission studies whether consumers would benefit from permitting AT&T to enter into the market.