VZ installing fiber, yanking out copper
July 10, 2007 – 7:09 pmAs Verizon moves forward with installing FiOS fiber optic phone/internet/TV service in (mostly wealthy, white) neighborhoods throughout the country, it is taking the time and expense to pull out copper wires.
Why spend the money? As explained on the Consumers Union blog, Hear Us Now, there are two obvious incentives. First, consumers can’t go back. Unhappy with FiOS? Want to go back to Ma Bell? Too late now!
Second, they’re required to lease their copper lines. Thus, some cities have a (nominal) choice in local phone service, and everyone can choose their long distance provider. Those regulatory schemes only apply to copper line telephone service, so pulling the copper cuts Verizon’s obligations as a common carrier.
2 Responses to “VZ installing fiber, yanking out copper”
While your large point is of concern - I think there is some confusion on sum minor points.
You say “Want to go back to Ma Bell? Too late.” Verizon is Ma Bell; well, Verizon is Baby Bell - Ma Bell technically no longer exists. AT&T was broken up in an antitrust suit in 1984 http://www.cybertelecom.org/notes/att_antitrust.htm AT&T Ma Bell became AT&T long distance and a bunch of baby bells - some of which merged together and is now named Verizon. And Verizon only provides FiOS in Verizon territory - so if you are unhappy with Verizon FiOS, you can certainly go back to Verizon (just not over copper).
Finally, you say “so pulling the copper cuts Verizon’s obligations as a common carrier.” Not quite. Pulling the copper cuts Verizon’s obligations to unbundle the copper as a Unbundled Network Element http://www.cybertelecom.org/notes/une.htm and sell it to other competitive telephone companies. — but this is not the same as being a common carrier. This is a specific obligation created by the Telecom Act of 1996. Verizon telephone still has to act like a common carrier in the traditional meaning of the term (fair rates and non discrimination with regard to customers and content - and interconnection).
What I am saying is this - people confuse title II of the Communications Act (where the UNE obligations are) with common carriage. Common carriage is the greater set that includes boats, trains, telephone, telegraph, mail - with telephone service being the smaller set. Title II of the Comm Act are the obligations specifically on telephone carriers as created by the FCC. Specific obligations can be removed - and the company is still a common carrier - as Verizon is.
Any who - chopping the copper is an interesting situation.
By Robert Cannon on Jul 17, 2007
Wow; a real comment from the founder and director of a real telecom policy group. Excuse me as I geek out. Thanks, Robert, for the far more subtle description of the regulatory landscape.
By Bill on Jul 21, 2007