"Higgs Boson" wrote in message
news:0a874d77-9b7e-4e23-9c19-
stuff snipped
WHATTTT???!!!!
Are you saying that Verizon FIOS (tfui,tfui, tfui..
IS NOT REGULATED BY YOUR STATE'S PUC? (In California that's what it's
called: Public
Utilities Commission.)
That's my understanding, at least in the Washington, DC area. For the
longest time Verizon has been complaining that they are held to a much
higher standard of service reliability with copper than Comcast with VOIP.
And they DON'T like it one bit. They've conveniently forgotten the massive
tax breaks and monopoly status they've enjoyed for years providing the
copper phone network.
Verizon enjoyed some $14 billion in federal and state corporate income tax
subsidies in the 2008-2010 period even though it earned $33.4 billion in
pre-tax U.S. income during that time.At the federal level, Verizon should
have paid about $11.4 billion at the statutory rate of 35 percent during the
three-year period. Instead, it got $951 million in rebates, putting its
federal tax subsidies at $12.3 billion. Its effective federal tax rate
was -2.9 percent.
http://crooksandliars.com/kenneth-qu...-rate-2008-201
Yet with a sweet deal like that, they're whining about how much it costs to
maintain copper lines already in place. Oddly, though, they steadfastly
refuse to say *exactly* how much it costs, citing "unfair competitive
advantage" that might result. Oddly, again, no one seems to want to build
anymore copper phone networks, so just who's going to get a big leg up
knowing what it actually costs to keep copper for the people that want it or
will have no choice but wireless? Even MORE oddly, rather than reveal that
data, they
withdrew their plan to replace copper with wireless on Fire Island, NY after
Sandy hit and gave them FIOS instead. I suspect that's what they always
wanted to do. Their capitulation surely suggests they are hiding
something - IMHO it's that they are grossly overestimating the cost of
continued maintenance of the existing copper phone network.
Most news articles I've read say that VOIP is *not* regulated by the states'
PUC/PSC's but I can't speak for all of them or even anything outside of
Maryland/DC.
Why is that important? Because PSC can set minimum levels of service such
as how long it takes to repair outages, overall service reliability and
quality of service. In addition the PSC can settle billing disputes and
insure that the elderly and the ill won't have their service cut off for
late or non-payment. As far as I know, no Verizon rep has ever pointed out
that the FIOS phone service is battery operated, not regulated and can cause
problems with existing equipment like dial up modems, credit card processing
equipment, etc.
The FCC is running a test in two cities to determine whether they will
support the Telco's plans to pull the plug on copper but telecom sites seem
to think FCC approval that will end copper service is a done deal and the
test is just window dressing:
http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...digital-tests-
to-lose-rules
http://tinyurl.com/k5e257d
"We looked for places where state law wasn't going to be an issue, where
the regulatory and legal environment in the state was conducive to the
transition," Christopher Heimann, an AT&T attorney, said at the briefing.
Hmm. Sounds like the fix is in to me!
Verizon claims it has no plans to shut down working service for customers,
but it does not want to spend millions to continue to support infrastructure
fewer customers actually use. That means watching the gradual deterioration
of Verizon's copper-based facilities, kept in service until they inevitably
fail, at which point Verizon will offer to "restore service" with its Voice
Link wireless product instead.
For voice calls, that may suffice for some, especially those comfortable
relying on cell technology already. But at a time when the United States is
already struggling with a rural broadband problem, abandoning millions of
rural DSL customers only makes rural broadband an even bigger challenge. The
wireless alternative is too variable in reception quality, too expensive,
and too usage capped.
source:
http://stopthecap.com/2013/07/08/fcc...s-out-by-2020/
People in rural areas should be *very* concerned because they're going to be
hit the hardest when copper disappears and there's little profit to be made
delivering fiber to them.
At least one PSC, NY's, has demanded that Verizon actually quantify the
costs of maintaining the already built-out copper network and they are NOT
happy about it:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/201...rders-verizon-
to-cough-up-cost-data-its-new-york-copper-lines.shtml
http://tinyurl.com/lwxnc46
The commission addressed Verizon's "trade secret" claims with this
statement.
"The information claimed by Verizon to be trade secrets or confidential
commercial information does not warrant an exception from disclosure and its
request for continued protection from disclosure is denied," it said in
Monday's ruling.
Even with FIOS, Verizon is still failing to provide reliable phone service,
something they say the law requires it to provide. Unlike copper lines, FIOS
may not work during power outages.
Verizon (along with AT&T) has made little secret of its desire to ditch
copper lines and move its customers towards higher margin wireless services.
If Verizon is ultimately forced to turn over cost data to the public, it
could make for some very interesting reading.
State officials wrote there "is no present or imminent contract award that
could be impaired by the disclosure" and that the state Freedom of
Information Law is based on a "premise that the public is vested with an
inherent right to know and official secrecy is anathematic to our form of
government."
--
Bobby G.
--
Bobby G.