verizon

Californian towns redlined by Charter targeted for broadband construction subsidies

12 August 2015 by Steve Blum
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Blue indicates Charter’s state cable franchise areas where it hasn’t upgraded to DOCSIS 3 capability, as it has in the yellow areas.

Race Telecommunications has zeroed in on a big and densely populated area of the San Bernardino County desert that’s been redlined by Charter Communications, and neglected by Verizon. Wireline broadband service in the area generally fails to meet the California Public Utilities Commission’s minimum standard of 6 Mbps down and 1.5 Mbps up.… More

Verizon's plan to blast LTE traffic over unlicensed spectrum questioned by FCC

7 August 2015 by Steve Blum
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Can you hear me now?

Plans by mobile phone companies to use unlicensed spectrum – including that currently used by WiFi devices and wireless Internet service providers – to supplement licensed frequencies are getting a harder look from the Federal Communications Commission. The head of the FCC’s office of engineering and technology – Julius Knapp – is asking the Verizon-backed LTE-U Forum, an industry group that’s working on a standard for 4G broadband service in unlicensed bands, for more information on what, exactly, it’s up to.… More

Everyone is wireless, who cares if copper is crap AT&T tells CPUC

31 July 2015 by Steve Blum
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Apple pie versus orange pie.

In a refreshingly honest, lay-your-cards-on-the-table move, AT&T told the California Public Utilities Commission that it shouldn’t bother investigating the condition of wireline phone systems in the state, because…

The number of wireline customers is now a small fraction of the Communications market. As of 2013, wireline customers made up only 20% of the market…Just five years prior, the wireline market was 35%.

Thus, not only is the wireline share very small, it is falling precipitously.

… More

Come and take us away, Verizon's employees tell Frontier

30 July 2015 by Steve Blum
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Hey! I’m over here.

Verizon’s unionised workforce in California want a new boss. The Communications Workers of America (CWA) dropped its previous opposition to Frontier Communication’s purchase of Verizon’s wireline telephone systems in California, after reaching an agreement with Frontier to extend the current union contract for two years, with pay increases and 100 shares of stock for each union member, and add 150 union jobs in the state.

Initially, CWA warned the California Public Utilities Commission of “the potential harm to thousands of its members in California” and lodged a protest against approval of the sale, saying “this transaction will impact the economic health of millions of households, businesses, schools, health care facilities, government agencies, and other institutions in California”.… More

Frontier tells CPUC it can fix Verizon's problems

28 July 2015 by Steve Blum
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Been there, done that.

Frontier Communications already knows how to upgrade Verizon’s ageing copper telephone networks and make them broadband capable, according to Melinda White, president of Frontier’s western region, which includes California.

“We’ve done this before with Verizon so we’re very familiar with the products, and attributes of this deal”, White said. Frontier bought ten small copper-line phone systems in California from Verizon a few years ago, she said. Eight of those were telephone only, with no broadband service offered.… More

Decision on CPUC investigation into state of copper phone networks delayed until next month

22 July 2015 by Steve Blum
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The California Public Utilities Commission will hold off on deciding whether to halt or accelerate an investigation of the condition of Verizon’s and AT&T’s copper telephone systems in the state. It was one of two major broadband decisions on tomorrow’s agenda – the other is how to wind down the review of the now-defunct Comcast – Time Warner – Charter mega-deal – but was pulled this afternoon and rescheduled to 13 August 2015.

The reason given was that there hadn’t been enough time for all concerned to review the alternate language proposed by commissioners Mike Florio and Catherine Sandoval.… More

CPUC to choose between broadband activism or accommodation

22 July 2015 by Steve Blum
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Two key broadband decisions are scheduled to go in front of the California Public Utilities Commission tomorrow. Commissioners have to decide what kind of funeral to hold for the not-so-dearly-departed Comcast – Time Warner – Charter mega-merger, and whether they need to actually investigate the condition of California’s ageing copper telephone networks, or just assume the telcos will take care of it.

There are three completely different alternatives on the table for wrapping up the Comcast deal:

… More

Frontier tells CPUC it will expand DSL service in rural California


Click for the full-sized version.

Frontier Communications executives outlined the company’s plans for the Verizon wireline systems it intends to acquire – ex parte communications in regulatory jargon – were made public last week.

The meetings confirmed that Frontier will get the retail businesses – “voice, Internet, VoIP and video service”, including FTTH FiOS systems – while Verizon will keep its mobile network and “other businesses”, which presumably include middle mile and commercial fiber. Verizon owns a lot of that in California.… More

Two commissioners buck CPUC president and vociferous opposition from AT&T and Verizon to push for wireline study

9 July 2015 by Steve Blum
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Not the view that AT&T and Verizon want you to see.

California public utilities commissioners Catherine Sandoval and Mike Florio want a full assessment of AT&T’s and Verizon’s wireline infrastructure in the state and have put a resolution on the table that would tell the CPUC to get on with the job. By doing so, they’re opposing a move by commission president Michael Picker to short circuit the CPUC’s existing investigation into the state of California’s copper telephone networks.… More

Frontier says California approval delayed is funding denied

8 July 2015 by Steve Blum
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Let’s hope there will be something to celebrate come New Year’s Eve.

It’s worth $192 million to rural areas of the state if the California Public Utilities Commission sticks to the schedule it set for reviewing Frontier Communications’ proposed purchase of Verizon’s wireline telephone systems. That’s one of the significant points of a joint response made by the two companies to questions posed by the Federal Communications Commission as it also reviews the transaction.

Frontier says it will use state and federal subsidies to upgrade broadband infrastructure in California…

If Frontier is able to obtain regulatory approvals for the Transaction prior to December 31, 2015, it will utilize available funding for broadband deployment in the high cost areas within the Transferring Companies’ territories.

… More