Long-Distance Rates Going Down, Not Up

Your otherwise excellent profile of FCC chairman nominee William E. Kennard [“Nominee for FCC Top Job to Face Hearings ‘Tightrope,’ ” Sept. 30] reports that long-distance telephone rates have “risen markedly” since passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

On the contrary, as a result of the FCC’s rules, long-distance rates will drop more than $25 billion over the next five years, and international rates will drop about $17 billion during the same period.

This includes the first cuts since 1992 for 60% of the country’s 93 million residential long-distance customers who still pay basic rates. Consumers are also benefiting from unprecedented competition in the wireless market, where cellular prices have fallen 25% in cities where new PCS [personal communications system] competitors the FCC licensed have slated service.

BLAIR LEVIN

Chief of Staff

Federal Communications Commission

Washington, D.C.