CenturyLink Competitive Exchanges and Services
Telephone services in some of CenturyLink’s Virginia territory may be 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 CenturyLink 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 CenturyLink filings pursuant to the competitive test requirements discussed below, and offer access to key documents and other relevant information.
In Case Number PUC-2014-00034, the Commission determined that some geographic areas of the Commonwealth maybe sufficiently competitive to justify deregulating the prices of many CenturyLink 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 meet a competitive test. CenturyLink must satisfy the competitive test criteria to obtain competitive treatment for services in additional exchanges. There are separate competitive tests for residential and business services, although the criteria are essentially the same.
CenturyLink is not required to file new formal applications with the Commission to determine the applicability of the competitive test for services in its exchanges. Under an administrative process, CenturyLink may submit a filing with supporting documentation to the Division of Communications demonstrating that services in individual exchanges meet the criteria required by the Commission’s competitive test. The Division of Communications will accept or reject such filings 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 CenturyLink and the division agree to an extension. If it rejects any proposed filings, the division is required to notify CenturyLink in writing and describe the reasons for any rejection. CenturyLink 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 competitive test filing. Any interested person or party may challenge the division's acceptance of a filing pursuant to the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure.
Further details of the Commission’s competitive test and administrative process may be obtained from the Commission’s Final Order in Case No. PUC-2014-00034. Links to the Commission Final Order, CenturyLink filings, and other documents are found below.
- Case Documents
- Competitive Exchanges and Associated Services
- CenturyLink - Central Telephone
- CenturyLink - United Telephone