Verizon Slams DC PSC Proposals on Abandoned Copper, Backup Power
Verizon is fighting possible new regulations in the District of Columbia following an investigation of the carrier’s copper infrastructure and transition to fiber. The telco Wednesday condemned copper abandonment and backup power rules proposed by D.C. Public Service Commission NPRMs. In one notice, published to the D.C. Register Friday, the commission proposed rules requiring notification by any telco planning to abandon its copper facilities. In another notice the same day, the PSC proposed rules requiring backup power for facilities that aren't line-powered, which copper is and fiber isn't. Meanwhile, Verizon continued its standoff with workers as unions entered the second week of their East Coast strike.
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Verizon opposes both PSC proposals, a company spokesman told us. “These proposed rules are totally unnecessary and counterproductive given the comprehensive nationwide rule adopted last year by the FCC.” Verizon referred to FCC IP Transition orders on wholesale competition and backup power released in August (see 1508060044). The Communications Workers of America “will be actively engaged in the proceeding to ensure that consumers are protected,” said CWA Telecom Policy Director Debbie Goldman. Comments on the D.C. notices are due May 15, replies 15 days later.
Multiple utilities regulators have their sights on Verizon. There are ongoing investigations at the New York PSC and Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission about copper service quality, and similar probes have been requested in New Jersey and Maryland (see 1604120039). The D.C. PSC rulemakings follow its two-year investigation about the same issue. In August, the D.C. PSC issued an order requiring Verizon to maintain its copper network, educate customers about the IP transition and differences between copper and fiber, and let customers who wish to have copper continue with that service (see 1508260063). In December, the commission clarified some details of the ruling in an order responding to petitions by Verizon and the Office of the People’s Counsel for D.C. (OPC).
Friday, the D.C. PSC proposed notification requirements for any telecom provider abandoning copper facilities in the District. The commission defined abandonment of copper facilities as "removal or disabling of copper facilities; the replacement of copper facilities with fiber facilities; or the failure to maintain copper facilities that is the functional equivalent of removal or disabling these facilities."
A telco abandoning copper used to provide a regulated local exchange service would have to provide 180-day notice to business customers and 90-day notice to residential customers. The notices also would have to be sent to the PSC and OPC. Any telco abandoning copper used by other telecom providers to provide local exchange service to residential or business customers would have to provide notification within 180 days to the PSC, OPC and the CLECs. A telco abandoning copper used to provide local exchange service to power utilities would have to give 270-day notice. After the telco gives notice, interested parties would have 15 days to comment or object, and the commission may choose to open a proceeding to investigate. The proposal also would apply a section of rules to Verizon that currently apply only to CLECs. The section, titled “Abandonment of service to local exchange voice services market,” requires exiting telcos to file an exit plan with the commission 90 days in advance of discontinuing service.
The D.C. PSC notice on backup power proposes that all telecom service providers offering local exchange service on facilities that aren't line-powered must provide customers with a free standby backup power unit for all provider-furnished equipment and devices needed to keep the service operational. The units would have to provide at least 25 hours of standby backup power.
The D.C. PSC hasn’t seen an increase in complaints about service quality since the start of the Verizon strike, a commission spokeswoman said. No progress was seen by the unions. “At a bargaining meeting [Tuesday], Verizon executives showed no room to compromise,” said a Wednesday CWA update. “The company doubled down on pressuring workers to agree to out of state work transfers for months at a time -- moves that would drastically upend many families.”
Verizon dismissed the CWA concerns. "CWA leaders need to face reality that the average union employee covered under these contracts has a salary and benefit package that exceeds $130,000 a year, and our proposal would make that even better,” a Verizon spokesman said. “It's time for union leaders to get back to the negotiating table to work on a contract that would get our employees back on the job.”