FCC denies Qwest forbearance

The Federal Communications Commission Friday night denied Qwest Communications the ability to charge higher rates to companies that use its lines to provide their own service. Qwest's application was denied a day before a deadline was reached that automatically would have granted the forbearance, a move that would allow the telecommunications company to charge unregulated rates to competitors. Commissioners denied the petition because the company did not provide enough evidence to support its claims about competition in the marketplace. "Although significant competition exists in Denver-based Qwest's markets, particularly in Phoenix, the commission determined based on the specific market facts provided to us, that Qwest's petitions did not provide sufficient evidence to conclude that regulatory relieve like that afforded the company in Omaha was warranted," said FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said, "I continue to believe that the Telecom Act envisioned more than just a cable-telephone duopoly as sufficient competition in the marketplace."