State Regulators OK PacBell Plan
From Associated Press
California utility regulators Wednesday adopted an incentive program to encourage local phone service giant SBC Pacific Bell to serve its new competitors’ customers as well as its own--moving PacBell a step closer to selling long-distance service.
Under the program approved by the Public Utilities Commission, PacBell must provide service to its competitors on par with the service it provides its own retail customers. Otherwise, it faces as much as $15 million in monthly fines.
Competitors could use the incentive payment to help pay for leasing infrastructure and customer information from PacBell, which is owned by SBC Communications Inc. Leftover money would be shared with customers.
