VTel claims Comcast misstep

The local telephone company has filed a lawsuit to prevent a communications giant from using its phone lines and possibly poaching its customers. Monday, attorneys for Springfield-based Vermont Telephone Co. filed a 13-page complaint in U.S.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20090829/NEWS02/908290319   # # # # VTel claims Comcast misstep  •  Rutland Herald  •  By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: August 29, 2009  •  A local telephone company has filed a lawsuit to prevent a communications giant from using its phone lines and possibly poaching its customers.  •  Monday, attorneys for Springfield-based Vermont Telephone Co. filed a 13-page complaint in U.S. District Court in Burlington against Comcast Phone of Vermont and the members of the Public Service Board. The complaint alleges the Board erred when it ordered VTel to enter into an agreement with Comcast to allow Comcast access to its communication infrastructure.  •  The complaint asserts the Board "had no authority to order VTel to arbitrate and enter into an interconnection agreement with Comcast Phone or to approve the interconnection agreement."  •  The Telecommunications Act of 1986 requires local exchange carriers to connect with each other, but exempts rural phone companies with less than 50,000 lines. VTel, which services about 20,000 lines in eight exchanges, should be exempt from being ordered into an agreement with Comcast, the complaint asserts.  •  In January 2008, court records state, Comcast requested an interconnection agreement with VTel, and earlier this year the Public Service Board ordered VTel to enter into the agreement.  •  None of the members of the Public Service Board could be reached for comment Friday. VTel's attorney declined to comment for this story.  •  Comcast, however, did want to comment.  •  "VTel's legal arguments are baseless, have all been raised before and have been rejected by the Federal Communications Commission, two federal appellate courts and state commissions in numerous states," said Kristen L. Roberts, Comcast's senior director of community and public relations for the Vermont area. "VTel is trying to prevent Comcast from bringing competitive choice and lower prices to consumers in Vermont. Vermonters deserve more than a local monopoly for home phone service — there is not a single competitive local carrier operating in VTel's service territory. We plan to fight this complaint and look forward to bringing even more choice, savings and innovation to Vermonters."   •