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Can Wireless Carriers Collect
Access Charges?
An
upcoming FCC decision may confirm or deny the ability of wireless
carriers to collect access charges from IXCs for terminating interexchange
calls. If the FCC rules in their favor, wireless carriers will have
explicit authority to bill and collect a mostly untapped source
of revenue. Millions of long-distance calls flow from landline phones
to wireless customers every day.
The
FCC's involvement stems from a U.S. District Court referral. Last
July, the court referred to the FCC issues raised by a lawsuit Sprint
Spectrum initiated against AT&T. In its suit, Sprint PCS claimed
that AT&T failed to pay Sprint PCs for use of its wireless network.
The court stayed all remaining issues in the case until June 24,
2002, pending a Commission ruling on the issues related to the claim.
With that deadline looming, the FCC can be expected to issue a decision
soon.
Wireless
carriers will probably need carrier access billing (CABS) systems
or services if the FCC gives them the green light, because this
billing format is the industry standard and the IXCs are familiar
with and understand it. CABS systems can record, analyze and compare
intercarrier call detail records, and are used throughout the wireline
industry to track the millions of IXC calls that terminate on LEC
networks. The systems help LECs determine how much each of the IXCs
owes it for carrying traffic on its network. The systems can also
produce reports for settling disputes about overcharges or determining
credits for dropped calls. See Billing
World & OSS Today (May 2002) and the FCC's earlier public
notice.
ATS
has already assisted wireless clients with similar systems for reciprocal
compensation purposes; we have expertise with CABS; and we stand
ready to assist wireless carriers with any needs they may have in
this area, including no-risk trials. For more information, contact
us at 973-696-0990, x129 or info@atso.com.
We
strive to bring our readers timely and useful information. Please
let us know if this article has been helpful or of interest
to you. Thank you!
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