Los Angeles, Calif. – U.S. TelePacific Corp., which does business as TelePacific Communications (TelePacific), has asked the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) to take expedited action to update and clarify copper retirement rules to promote affordable broadband over existing copper.
Since the FCC’s Triennial Review Order and the copper loop retirement rules were established several years ago, innovative telecommunications equipment manufacturers and carriers have harnessed the innate capacity of embedded copper loop infrastructure to increase broadband speeds over copper. Today copper loops are a fundamental building block in communications networks, including IP-based networks that both industry and regulators aspire to deploy across America.
However, the FCC’s current copper retirement rules potentially impede the competitive local exchange carriers’ (CLECs) ability to use copper loops to provide broadband services at affordable prices. Additionally, based on public statements from the largest incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), the retirement of copper loops will accelerate in the near future.
TelePacific urges the FCC to modify its copper retirement rules to guard against the premature dismantling of vital network infrastructure and ensure that customers currently receiving broadband over copper loops do not lose their affordable broadband service. Moreover, TelePacific asks that the rules be clarified to promote the regulatory certainty necessary for further investments in affordable broadband over copper so that more customers may benefit from it.
“There isn’t enough fiber in the ground to provide broadband services to small and medium sized businesses,” says Dick Jalkut, President and Chief Executive Officer at TelePacific. “That’s why copper is so valuable. SMBs are the engine of economic growth and their ever-increasing bandwidth needs must be met right now. Existing copper plant allows that.”
In California alone, 10 competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) including TelePacific have installed Ethernet over Copper (EoC) capability in 343 different wire centers to give approximately 250,000 small to midsize companies, many of whom are not located near fiber facilities, the ability to acquire the high-bandwidth services they need to compete in today’s competitive business environment.
TelePacific’s request argues that preserving existing copper plant promotes broadband expansion at lower prices and ultimately supports the FCC’s expressed intent to make broadband access more available and affordable nationwide.
About TelePacific Communications
TelePacific Communications (www.telepacific.com) is a network services company serving small and medium business customers. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the company meets the needs of growing businesses in California, Nevada and Texas with nationwide capabilities. TelePacific offers a host of IP, voice, data and Internet services, as well as business continuity, cloud and managed network solutions.
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