Virginia Orders ISDN Pricing Investigation

[James Love <love@tap.org>]

  ISDN tariff disputes
  February 29, 1996
  
  
  A number of states are currently embroiled in controveries over ISDN
  pricing.  A few days ago the Virginia Commission ordered an investigation
  into Bell Atlantic's tariffs.  California is involved in disputes over ISDN
  pricing with PacBell (and GTE).  Washington State, Utah, New Mexico,
  Arizona and other states are engaged in disputes over US West's ISDN
  tariffs, and there is much more.  We hope to have a more complete
  discussion of this in a week or so.  Here are some notes on the recent
  action by the Virginia Commission.  jamie
  
  ----------------
  On February 26, 1996, the Virginia Corporations Commission approved a
  staff recommendation that the Commission initiate an investigation into
  the prcing and provisioning of Bell Atlantic's residential ISDN tariff
  filing.  BA reportedly lobbied the Commission very hard against this
  outcome.  The Virginia Corporations Commission will accept comments from
  the public on BA's residential ISDN rates.  The Commission specifically
  wants comments on the following issues: 
  
  1.  Whether flat rate prices for voice use, data, or both should be made 
  available and at what price.
  
  2.  whether existing usage-sensitive prices are affordable,
  
  3.  whether the offered transmission capabilities of ISDN lines are 
  adequate, and 
  
  4.  whether there are additional concerns about the service.
  
  
  They want 5 copies of comments sent to the Clerk of the Commission, 
  William J. Bridge, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, 
  Virginia 23218, on or before April 22, 1996.  You should refer to the 
  case as Case No. PUC950078.  For more information, contact the Commission 
  at 804-371-9420.
  
  This is very good news for Virginia consumers who object to Bell
  Atlantic's very high ISDN tariffs (under the current tariffs, 100 hours of
  2B+D usage will cost from $120 to $240 depending upon time of day, not to
  mention the $34 fixed monthly fee.  An individual that tried to use a 2B+D
  connection for a wep page on a home computer would generate charges
  between $1,100 and $1,200 per month from BA).  If you live in Virginia, 
  and want flat rate ISDN, write the Commission.  For further information, 
  there are a number of documents and links about ISDN at:
  
  http://www.essential.org/cpt/isdn/isdn.html
  http://www.essential.org/listproc/isdn/
  
  jamie
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  James Love, love@tap.org
  P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036; v. 202/387-8030; f. 202/234-5176
  Consumer Project on Technology; http://www.essential.org/cpt/cpt.html
  Taxpayer Assets Project; http://www.essential.org/tap/tap.html