Just like I told city councils on Monday and Tuesday of this week, Qwest is trying to weasel its way out of sharing lines with competitors for phone and DSL services. According to a report from competitor XO Communications, this could mean that the average household bill will rise by as much as $115 per year or nearly $10 per month. Verizon did the same thing when it filed a "forbearance" request with the FCC so that they didn't have to share their lines. Given the FCC's Ma Bell-friendly attitude these past few years, Qwest is likely to get what it wants.
Currently, Qwest has forbearance in effect in Omaha, Nebraska and wholesale rates rose steeply, forcing many competitors to pass that along to consumers. While the current request isn't targeting Utah (Phoenix, Denver, Minneapolis and Seattle are the "lucky" areas), you can bet that UTOPIA is about the only thing holding them back. Hang on to your wallets, Utah; Qwest's CEO needs a new pair of Rolls.
