As terminating switched access charges move to bill-and-keep, don’t take your eye off the ball — that’s a major-league mistake! That’s because there remain dozens of unanswered questions about access charges, both switched and special, and each of them has a big-time impact on your network costs! Just consider the following:

•   The FCC has left in limbo, during access charge reform, any discussion of originating access charges, and that’s a big piece of your network costs.
•   Special access – and the FCC’s seemingly endless investigation – remains a big question mark, and another piece of financial uncertainty for you.
•   Access tariffs have always been a key component of access cost management, but will they still be there in the coming years?
•   The FCC leadership is now in Republican hands; is that good or bad for your network?

And that’s the short list of open issues tied to access charges and tariffs!