[BC] anyone with UVerse yet?

[Rich Wood]

------ At 11:15 AM 5/13/2008, R A Meuser wrote: -------

>You may have a few things confused.  There is an FCC requirement 
>that a wire line carrier make it last mile copper available to 
>competitors. As an example, Verizon in NYC must give RCN access to 
>their loops. This requirement does not extend to fiber or other new 
>technologies. Verizon does not need to share the new fiber FIOS 
>network. That is the reason they pull the copper loops once FIOS is installed.

I understand all that. I suffered through the RCN installation in my 
building. According to the building's super the companies sabotaged 
each other. We finally had to assign a building maintenance person to 
accompany RCN on any installation or repair call. I knew I'd have to 
call Time-Warner repair every time I saw an RCN truck parked nearby. 
I suspect RCN customers had the same problem. In my building RCN was 
the first company to provide cable, Internet and VOIP (or VOIP-like) 
telephone service as a package.

When Time-Warner "rewired" the city with fiber did RCN do the same? 
Are they still copper? As I understand it similar regulations apply 
to cable companies sharing their copper. I seem to recall being able 
to get Earthlink and AOL broadband via Time-Warner even before AOL 
became Time-Warner's albatross.

>As for swapping territories with competing companies, that would 
>likely just be a business deal where both parties benefit. Verizon 
>needs their own CO to support the fiber unless they choose to share 
>the product in a territory they do not serve. At the end of the day 
>it is just about making deals. Follow your financial pages.

I think the Verizon person I spoke with (very sharp techie type) was 
referring to smaller companies without fiber. Will Verizon be allowed 
to lay its own fiber in another operator's territory if that operator 
declines? The Verizon guy made it very clear there will never be FIOS 
service across the country.

How will the AT&T service, and others, be delivered in areas where 
FIOS is dominant and copper has been removed? I was told that the 
copper would be removed at the time FIOS was installed. If I was 
unhappy with FIOS within 30 days they'd reinstall the copper from the 
pole. Verizon is the wireline provider in the State so FIOS is 
creeping my way. It's available about five miles from me.

Rich