The House Committee on State Affairs
Subcommittee on Telecommunications
76th Legislature
May 10, 2000
10:00 a.m.
Capitol Extension, E2.010
Pursuant to a notice posted on April 7, 2000, the House
Committee on State Affairs, Subcommittee on Telecommunications,
met in a public hearing and was called to order by the chair,
Representative Turner, Sylvester, at 10:06 a.m.
Present: Representatives Turner, Sylvester; Brimer; Counts;
Jones, Delwin; Longoria; Merritt (6).
Absent: Representatives Alvarado; Danburg; Hunter; Wolens (4).
A quorum was present.
Update on SB 560 Implementation
Testimony was taken. (See attached witness list.)
(Representative Danburg now present.)
Potential Impediments to Local Telephone Competition
Testimony was taken on potential impediments raised by Consumers
Union (Agenda items A, M, Q, and S): billing problems, delays in
getting service, customer confusion; "make whole" provisions of
PURA; expanded local calling surcharges, rate group
reclassification; and market issues, deregulation preceding
competition, and mergers. (See attached witness list.)
Testimony was taken on potential impediments raised by
Southwestern Bell (Agenda items B, E, and K): pricing
flexibility provisions, customer-specific pricing; tariff
filings versus same-day price lists; and lack of parity in
quality of service standards and reporting requirements. (See
attached witness list.)
Testimony was taken on potential impediments raised by the CLEC
Coalition (Agenda items C, F, J, N, and P): affiliate issues,
discriminatory access or conduct by ILEC; LRIC and TELRIC
pricing, above-cost charges for switched access service; access
to compliance and performance data; ILEC bundling of regulated
and unregulated charges; and fallout of directory listings.
(See attached witness list.)
Testimony was taken on potential impediments raised by AT&T
(Agenda items D, G, L, and T): hot cuts; glue charges imposed
for combining unbundled network elements; access to multiple
dwelling units; and proposals to increase regulation of
non-dominant companies. (See attached witness list.)
Testimony was taken on potential impediments raised by COVAD
(Agenda items H and O): ILEC performance in delivering copper
loops, and issues related to operations support systems and
other databases. (See attached witness list.)
(Representative Danburg in chair.)
(Representative Turner, Sylvester in chair.)
At 1:30 p.m., on the motion of the chair and without objection,
the meeting was recessed until 1:45 p.m., May 10, 2000.
The committee reconvened at 1:58 p.m. and was called to order by
Representative Turner, Sylvester. The roll was answered as
follows:
Present: Representative Turner, Sylvester (1).
Absent: Representatives Wolens; Alvarado; Brimer; Counts;
Danburg; Hunter; Jones, Delwin; Longoria; Merritt (9).
Testimony was taken on potential impediments raised by COVAD
(Agenda items H and O): ILEC performance in delivering copper
loops; and issues related to operations support systems and
other databases. (See attached witness list.)
(Representative Danburg now present.)
Testimony was taken on potential impediments raised by Teligent
(Agenda item I): service outages and system performance issues.
(See attached witness list.)
(Representative Counts now present.)
Bringing Competition to Rural Texas
Testimony was taken. (See attached witness list.)
(Representative Merritt now present.)
Wireless Facility Siting Policy
Testimony was taken. (See attached witness list.)
(Representative Counts in chair.)
At 5:41 p.m., on the motion of Representative Counts and without
objection, the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the
chair.
________________________
Rep. Turner, Chair
________________________
Jeff Blaylock, Clerk