Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

Media Center

Ohio's residential utility advocate reacts to AT&T's pullout from wholesale rate case

Columbus, Ohio – July 1, 2004 – Today, AT&T – the largest competitive local telephone provider in Ohio – announced it is withdrawing from a current case at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) that will decide whether SBC Ohio can significantly raise its wholesale rates. SBC’s wholesale rates are charged to competitors like AT&T for use of the facilities needed to service residential consumers and offer savings.

The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, the residential utility advocate, said that the pullout could have a significant impact on the proceedings and the future of local telephone choice.

“I believe AT&T is sending a clear message – that the PUCO decision will fail to allow a robust competitive market to continue. We hope this prediction proves false and that the PUCO will allow local telephone choices to remain in Ohio,” said Janine Migden-Ostrander, Consumers’ Counsel. “Customers need real choices, not just the promise of competition,”

“With Ohio’s top local telephone competitor withdrawing from this critical case, we are concerned that it will be more difficult to garner the industry expertise and resources needed to present the strongest position possible,” said Migden-Ostrander. “The future of local telephone choice may well depend on the resulting wholesale rates. Unless competitors are able to use SBC’s facilities at fair prices, consumers will be left without any competitive local telephone choices and will be subject to the prices of a deregulated monopoly.”

About the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC), the residential utility consumer advocate, represents the interests of 4.5 million households in proceedings before state and federal regulators and in the courts. The state agency also educates consumers about electric, natural gas, telephone and water issues and resolves complaints from individuals. To receive utility information, brochures, schedule a presentation or file a utility complaint, residential consumers may call 1-877-PICKOCC (1-877-742-5622) toll free in Ohio or visit the OCC website at www.pickocc.org.