Verizon Ends Seven-Year ‘Marathon’ for Long- Distance Approval

It’s official. Verizon Communications Inc. has authority to provide long-distance services anywhere in the lower 48 United States.

The FCC has approved its application to provide long-distance services originating in Maryland, West Virginia and Washington D.C.

New York-based Verizon said the regulator’s vote Wednesday marked the end of a seven-year “marathon” to obtain long-distance approval throughout all the regions it serves.

When Verizon introduces long-distance voice and data services to consumers and businesses in the remaining three jurisdictions, the phone giant will serve the entire country -- excluding Alaska -- and the District of Columbia. Verizon says it will introduce calling plans “in the coming weeks.”

Verizon, one of four regional Bell operating companies, is the country’s largest local phone company and among the four biggest long-distance providers.

Since 1996, the Bells have been shut out of the long-distance market within their local regions until demonstrating to state and federal regulators their local networks are fully open to rivals.

BellSouth Corp., the No. 3 local phone company based in Atlanta, has authority to provide long-distance services within its entire nine-state region. SBC Communications Inc. and Qwest Communications International Inc., however, are awaiting long-distance approval in several states each.

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