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    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              News Media Contact:
  April 6, 2000                      Sarah Whitesell (202) 418-2300
                              
                              
    Press Statement of Commissioner Gloria Tristani on 
             SBC's Announcement That It Plans 
          To Supplement Its Texas 271 Application
  
       SBC's withdrawal and refiling of its application for long distance service in Texas
  comes very near the end of a thorough review of a full record concerning the state of local
  competition in Texas.  I commend the Texas Public Utility Commission, the Department
  of Justice, and the staff at the FCC for the hard work they have done.
  
       I am particularly troubled by issues raised in the record concerning three primary
  areas:
       
          · issues related to the provision of unbundled network elements, including
          Operations Support System functions;
  
          · the coordination, timing, and quality of providing unbundled loops to
          competitors, referred to as the "hot cut" process; and
       
          · issues concerning the provision of loops that are used by competitors to
          provide advanced services. 
  
  When examining the last set of issues in the future, to the extent that SBC relies on
  its separate affiliate for advanced services to demonstrate nondiscriminatory treatment of
  its DSL competitors, I will carefully examine the relationship that exists between SBC and
  that separate affiliate.  I would expect such an affiliate to be fully operational.  Moreover, I
  agree with the Department of Justice that there must be adequate mechanisms in place "to
  detect, punish, and deter any discrimination that may occur" in favor of SBC's affiliate.   
  Among other things, I will look to see whether performance measures that would capture any such
  discrimination are in effect and whether they indicate that discrimination has occurred.