Here's the thing about Qwest, the day after this deal was announced, I happened to see one of the qwest repair guys on my road. The running joke I have whenever I see a Qwest tech in my area is to ask if they're installing the broad band. Usually the response is that I'm lucky to have a phone.
On this occassion, I asked if they'd heard about the settlement. The Tech responded that he had. So I asked what he thought. The response was telling; "80% of the state is going to have access to high speed internet? Bullshit!"
Yeah, that pretty much summed it up for me. I'm all for the settlement, but I want to know how much of that $265 million is money that Qwest should have already spent on maintaining lines in New Mexico but didn't. More specifically, how much of their $265 million penalty will Qwest get to spend on items that would otherwise come out of their normal operating expenses?
Link: Alamogordo Daily News - PRC considers Qwest settlement.
SANTA FE -- The Public Regulation Commission may eventually agree to a proposed $265 million settlement offer from Qwest, but commissioners made it clear Tuesday they would do so at their own pace.When he announced the proposed $265 million settlement last month, Gov. Bill Richardson urged the PRC to act quickly so Qwest could begin work. But Commissioner Jason Marks said Tuesday a timeline proposed in the settlement does not give other parties to the case adequate time to study the proposal and respond."I think we set our own timeframe, recognizing that there are, as always, benefits
to dealing with these things as fast as possible," Marks said. "But, I think this is no different than any other very complicated case."The settlement would end a legal dispute regarding a shortfall of about $220 million in investment that Qwest had agreed to make in its New Mexico infrastructure. The Supreme Court ruled the PRC has the authority to enforce that agreement, known as an alternative form of regulation, but the company has filed for a rehearing of the case.
Comments