Verizon Competitive Exchanges and Services
Telephone services in some of Verizon’s Virginia territory have been price deregulated
because of the competitive alternatives available to customers. This site contains
information regarding the exchanges and services that have been determined to be
competitive, and the status of any pending Verizon filings requesting that additional
exchanges and/or services be determined to be competitive. In addition, this site
is designed to provide notice to interested parties and the public regarding any
proposed Verizon filings pursuant to the competitiveness test requirements discussed
below, and offer access to key documents and other relevant information.
In Case Number PUC-2007-00008, the Commission determined that some geographic areas
of the Commonwealth were sufficiently competitive to justify deregulating the prices
of many Verizon local exchange telephone services (within a local telephone exchange)
in accordance with the statutory requirements of Va. Code §56-235.5 E and F. The
Commission established specific criteria to determine which exchanges met a competitiveness
test. Verizon must satisfy the competitiveness test criteria to obtain competitive
treatment for services in additional exchanges. There are separate competitiveness
tests for residential and business services, although the criteria are essentially
the same.
Verizon is not required to file new formal applications with the Commission to determine
the applicability of the competitiveness test for services in additional exchanges.
Under an administrative process, Verizon may submit proposed tariff revisions and
supporting documentation to the Division of Communications demonstrating that services
in additional exchanges meet the criteria required by the Commission’s competitiveness
test. The Division of Communications will accept or reject such proposed tariffs
based on its evaluation of the supporting documentation. The division has 45 days
to evaluate the filings; however, the time frame may be extended for an additional
45 days if Verizon and the division agree to an extension. If it rejects any proposed
tariff filings, the division is required to notify Verizon in writing and describe
the reasons for any rejection. Verizon has 30 days to file a petition with the Commission
to challenge the division’s determination.
The administrative process also ensures that an interested person or party has an
opportunity to challenge the division's acceptance of a tariff. Any interested person
or party may challenge the division's acceptance of a tariff pursuant to the
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure.
Further details of the Commission’s competitiveness test and administrative process
may be obtained from the Commission’s Final Order and Order on Reconsideration in
Case No. PUC-2007-00008. Links to both of these documents are found below.
- Competitive Exchanges and Associated Services