State Notebook

摘要

AT&T has already undergone much work in dealing with state regulatory bo dies for a possible tran-nsition to all-Internet Protocol networks, said Hank Hultquist, AT&T vice president-federal regulatory, nspeaking at CES in Las Vega s Jan. 7. AT&T asked the FCC last year to launch a proceeding concerning the ntransition from legacy time division multiplexing phone service to IP networks. “We have been seeking re-nform of state laws to set the table for this and in a nu mber of our states we believe we are in a position to be-ngin this process,” he said. The tran sition will require changes in state regulations, though if there is “some nholdout state that is standing in the way of the transition,” the FCC ha s the authority to preempt state law nthat isn’t consistent with federal objectives, though he’s hopeful it w on’t come to that, said Hultquist. nAT&T would like the FCC to initiate the process to begin testing by the end of the year so AT&T can “come nin with our plans” for the trials, said Hultquist. Th e move to all-IP will include a grandfather period in nwhich AT&T wouldn't allow any new non-IP subscribers, but would continue to provide service, said nHultquist. Following that period, the company would eventually shut down the service completely, he said.