FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 23, 2003

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: John Winston (202) 418-7450

Washington, D.C. - Today, the Federal Communications Commission granted in substantial part a complaint brought by Core Communications, Inc. against Verizon Maryland Inc. alleging that Verizon had violated the Communications Act and Commission rules by failing to interconnect with Core on reasonable terms.

The Commission found that Verizon delayed for four months interconnecting with Core in the Washington Metropolitan area, and also failed to provide Core with critical information about the delay and its expected duration. The delay occurred because Verizon allowed the capacity of certain crucial pieces of equipment within its network to exhaust and to remain at exhaust for an extended period. The Commission found, considering all of these circumstances together, that Verizon had not interconnected with Core in a reasonable manner. The Commission ruled that Verizon had violated the terms of its interconnection agreement with Core, and thus section 251(c)(2) of the Communications Act, by failing to provide Core with interconnection ``on rates, terms, and conditions that are just [and] reasonable ... in accordance with the terms and conditions of [its interconnection] agreement.''

Under commission rules, Core may now file a supplemental complaint against Verizon for damages resulting from Verizon's violation.

In today's ruling, the Commission rejected Verizon's argument that any violation of its interconnection agreement with Core would not constitute a violation of the Communications Act.

Action by the Commission April 18, 2003, by Memorandum Opinion and Order (FCC 03-96). Chairman Powell, Commissioners Abernathy, Copps, Martin, and Adelstein.

Enforcement Bureau contacts: John Winston at (202) 418-7450 and Lia Royle at (202) 418-7391.