[VoiceOps] BellSouth vs. AT&T stance on multi-tandem access.

[Alex Balashov]

Jason Vanick wrote:

>> Bellsouth was thought by many to be the most friendly to CLECs of all 
>> the divestiture RBOCs.  Traditionally, in its 9-state operating area it 
>> was possible to do multi-tandem access;  that is, you didn't have to 
>> have trunks to all the intra-LATA sector tandems in order to terminate 
>> to an end-office in that sector, as long as you had transient groups to 
>> the LATA access tandems.
>>
>> I have heard that the AT&T crowd does not take kindly to that and  that 
>> this option doesn't exist in ex-SBC territories, or anywhere else.  Can 
>> anyone confirm?
> 
> I know that in Chicago, as part of your ICA, you had to connect to the 
> sector tandems, however, you could 'overflow' onto another tandem if necessary.
> 
> I was under the impression (now remember, this is 1996-1998 timeframe), that the 
> 'not taking kindly' reason was that Wabash and Dearborn Tandem switches were being 
> overloaded by all the CLECs locating switches in the loop area to take advantage of
> cheap transport...  

You mean backhauling end-office traffic and picking it all up at the 
access tandem without getting DEOT, despite incurring considerable usage?

If so, I thought that's what the

    usage >= DS1 ? DEOT : tandem

rule was meant to remedy, rather than having to have TGs to every tandem?

> 
>> Does anyone have any information on how that's being approached since 
>> the merger for new ICAs and/or if they're taking the opportunity to 
>> demolish that when Bellsouth-era ICAs are updated and/or renegotiated? 
>> Are folks that went up in Bellsouth days grandfathered on MTA?
> 
> Weren't the ICA's timed?  I would have assumed you would have been grandfathered
> until you reupped your ICA, although, you did have the right to 'use' another party's
> ICA during the beginning ICA negotiations, so if they didn't change the wording I
> guess you would have been stuck.  But... if you're profitiable, who pulls out 
> facilities anyways?

True.

I'm thinking specifically of CLECs that got their license and started 
the interconnection process at the tail of BellSouth, and now face 
actually dealing with AT&T for turn-up, expansion, POI & transport 
changes, etc.

-- Alex

-- 
Alex Balashov
Evariste Systems
Web     : http://www.evaristesys.com/
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