Verizon lost a dispute about facilities charges in...

Verizon lost a dispute about facilities charges in a telephone interconnection agreement before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Tuesday, as the court vacated a lower court ruling in Verizon’s favor (http://1.usa.gov/1sOVxNY). But several other lower court findings in favor of Verizon were affirmed. Soon after agreeing to an interconnection agreement, CoreTel and Verizon had found themselves in a dispute on the rates CoreTel was required to pay for interconnection entrance facilities, the court said. CoreTel was entitled to summary judgment in its favor on both its and Verizon’s claims for declaratory relief relating to Verizon’s facilities charges, the 4th Circuit said. But the 4th Circuit affirmed the lower court grant of summary judgment in Verizon’s favor on CoreTel’s “reciprocal compensation” claims. The 4th Circuit also upheld a lower court Verizon victory on its switched-access claims. The opinion was written by Judge Allyson Duncan.