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Collected Broadband Information, Filings Comments, 1998-2004 New Networks Institute (NNI) has been tracking the Regional Bell companies’ broadband commitments since 1992. As the name suggests, we have been committed to the deployment of "new networks". In 1994, with the publication of a research report, "The Information Superhighway: Get a Grip", we clearly demonstrated that the Bells could not deliver the networks they were promising to the public. The rest of this document highlights the various New Networks Institute and Teletruth reports, complaints, filings, comments, as well as independent research that has been done on this topic. Documenting the Bells’ Failed Deployments -- Overview: The Bells Greatest Broadband Failures, 1991-2004 http://www.newnetworks.com/bellbroadbandfailures.html To start, here is a collection of statements made by the Bell companies about their deployments, as well as some findings by other independent sources. Summary Report:: How the Bell Stole America’s Digital Future http://www.netaction.org/broadband/bells/ This report, published in 2000 by NetAction, lays out the basics of the promises in key states — California, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, and shows the promises and failed outcomes. The Unauthorized Bio of the Baby Bells, published, 1999. http://www.newnetworks.com/downloadbook.html This detailed discussion of broadband Alternate Regulation plans gives a blow by blow of what happened to the proposed fiber optic based promises, originally known as the "information superhighway". A free download of book or the various sections is available. FCC Comments and Complaints New Networks Institute and other members of Teletruth have previously filed numerous comments and complaints with the FCC on the Bells’ failed deployments and the costs to customers. FCC Comments #1 — September 1998 Inquiry Concerning the Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications Capability CC Docket 98-146 to All Americans in a Reasonable and Timely Fashion, and Possible Steps to Accelerate Such Deployment Pursuant to Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. http://www.newnetworks.com/NNI_FCC_9-98.txt "NNI believes that the history of state-level incentive regulation plans shows that it would be unwise for the Commission to adopt any form of regulatory policy that gives the RBOCs regulatory benefits, such as relaxed regulation or lessened oversight, in exchange for the hope or promise that increased RBOC deployment of advanced network capabilities will be the result." FCC Comments # 2 — September 1998 Advanced Telecommunications Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 98-188, CC Docket No. 98-147 http://www.newnetworks.com/NRPM_98-147_NNI.txt "The FCC Should Not Grant The Bells Any New Financial Incentives And Should Investigate The Bells Failure To Deliver On Promised Advanced Networks Despite Previous Incentives. — Our record is clear. The FCC’s is broken." FCC White Paper #3 —
March 17th, 1999 http://www.newnetworks.com/alonefccrefute4.html "As we will demonstrate, the FCC's Report is a white-washing, attempting to show that the Telecom Act worked and has delivered on its promises to give Americans new services. Unfortunately, the Report is filled with numerous serious flaw. …However, there is an abundance of evidence the FCC has ignored or not considered —literally hundreds of documents that detail the failure of the Bells to deliver broadband to the public in a ‘timely and reasonable’ manner." FCC Comments # 4 —September 24, 2001 Inquiry Concerning the Deployment of Advanced, Telecommunications Capability CC Docket 98-146 to All Americans in a Reasonable and Timely Fashion, and Possible Steps to Accelerate Such Deployment Pursuant to Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. http://www.newnetworks.com/nni706noi2001.htm Questions Asked:
FCC Complaint –Ignored #5 February 19th, 2003 How Much Money Did the Bell Companies Collect From Customers for BroadbandNetworks They Will Never Receive? http://www.newnetworks.com/prpenncomplaint.htm Teletruth Files Complaint Against the FCC: The FCC's Broadband Analyses are Seriously Flawed and Calls for a "Broadband True-Up", Not a ‘Customer Takings’." This Complaint outlines the fact that the FCC data on broadband is completely lacking all information about the state deployments. FCC – Other Broadband Items Filed Petition Ignored #6 —Petition to FCC Over ISP and Customer Broadband Issues, May 2003 http://www.newnetworks.com/PRISPPETITIONS.html This Petition, filed with the Texas ISP Association, outlines multiple problems created by the Bell companies currently facing the Internet Service Providers in supplying broadband. This includes DSL predatory pricing, and sub-standard customer services, among other issues. Analysis of FCC Triennial Review Decision, 2003 http://www.newnetworks.com/idiotsdelight.htm Comment #7 — Comment on the FCC’s Triennial Review to Block Competition, 2003 http://www.newnetworks.com/triennialfin.htm Comments-#8-13— 6 FCC Comments/Reply Comments over Broadband, 2002 http://www.newnetworks.com/teletruthrfacomments.html Teletruth filed: The FCC’s Triennial Review is in violation of the Regulatory Flexibility Act’s mandate to include small businesses in the decision making process. The Triennial Review helps to put Internet Providers out of business. Analysis of Internet Broadband— "Small Telecom Business Impact Study", 2002 http://www.newnetworks.com/smallbusinessimpactstudy.html
Other Broadband Filings and Activities: Proposed Congressional Bill -- "The Broadband Bill of Rights", 2001-2002 http://www.newnetworks.com/broadbandbill.htm In 2001, Teletruth worked with Congressmen Nadler to create a broadband bill to protect the rights of customers and small businesses who receive sub-standard customer services. NTIA Comments— December 19h, 2001 Notice, Request for Comments on Deployment of Broadband Networks and Advanced Telecommunications Docket No. 011109273-1273-01] RIN 0660-XX13 http://newnetworks.com/FINALNTIAfiling.htm "New Networks Institute believes that allowing the Bells into any new services or giving them any new incentives is tantamount to rewarding the Bell monopolies for fraudulent behavior. . History clearly shows that the new incentives will in no way bring advanced networks sooner or cheaper….If the NTIA is really concerned about the future of American telecommunications, it must take a clear, fresh look at the data -- and not use data supplied by the Bell companies, through it myriad of Bell funded reports, lobbying groups, and other spin doctors." Overall Impacts on the Economy The Tell-The-Truth Broadband Challenge to Verizon vs "The Verizon 100 Megabit Challenge" May 28th, 2003 http://www.newnetworks.com/tellthetruthverizon.htm This essay outlines how Verizon has failed to deliver broadband in multiple states and yet keeps telling everyone they should be trusted for their new deployments. SPECIAL REPORT: The Bells Caused The Current Financial Recession: The Fiber-Optic Fiasco and America's Copper Dirt Road. August 2001 http://www.newnetworks.com/fiberopitcfiasco.htm New Networks contends that the Bells failure to roll out it’s fiber optic networks helped to cause the collapse of the Telecom markets and the economy, and killed an entire generation of innovation and growth, costing the US $300-500 billion annually.
State Filings and Info Pennsylvania: Filed January 12th, 2004 Updated Complaint Requesting An Investigation Into Fraud And Collusion —Verizon Couldn’t Build The Fiber Optic Networks When They Signed The Commitments With The State A Decade Ago. Customers paid an estimated $1135 per household for non-existent networks they will never receive. http://www.teletruth.org/PennBroadbandfraud.html "By the end of 2003, Teletruth estimates that every household in Pennsylvania has paid in excess of $1,135.00 for a fiber optic service they will never get. Teletruth estimates that the total overcharging to be $3.9 billion or more in excess profits, tax deductions, and other financial perks, including funding other business ventures through cross-subsidization." Liberty, Bell (Verizon) Stolen, http://www.newnetworks.com/Libertybellstolen.htm An essay about the Pennsylvania broadband story.
Pennsylvania Broadband Scam http://www.teletruth.org/PennBroadbandfraud.html A collection of materials about Broadband in Pennsylvania. New York, Teletruth Presentation, December, 2002 The Two Broadbands… How NYC Got Conned and What We Should Do for the City’s Broadband and Economic Health, http://www.newnetworks.com/NYCspeechfin.htm Presentation to the New York City Council, December 10th, 2002. In this speech we point out that Verizon New York not only had plans for fiber-optic upgrades to customers’ homes and offices, but that the price of service to competitors was based on 100% fiber optic upgrades as a given. These upgrades never happened and inflated all rates. Complaint Filed NY state Attorney General -1999 Bell Atlantic is Using Predatory Pricing for DSL that is Designed to Eliminate Internet Service Providers. http://newnetworks.com/baadslscrewisp.htm This complaint outlines the predatory pricing Verizon charges the ISP resellers of DSL. Complaint – Filed NY State Attorney General —1999 Request to Investigate Bell Atlantic's Sub-Standard Customer Services, Predatory Pricing, and Monopoly/Anti-Competitive Behavior to Internet Service Providers and Competitive Local Exchange Companies, Request to Help Customers and Internet Providers Receive Compensation for Bell Atlantic's Failures. http://newnetworks.com/nyispcomplaint.htm This complaint demonstrated that customers who use competitive companies for DSL were receiving sub-standard customer services. Massachusetts: Filed October 1999 On the Need to Investigate Bell Atlantic's Failed Deployment of Advanced Networks and the Impacts on Customers. http://newnetworks.com/Masscomplaint.html In 1999, New Networks Institute et al filed a Complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy (DTE) claiming that the Verizon failed to deliver to the state on its promises to deploy 330,000 fiber optic upgraded lines by 1995 and it cost customers over $1 billion in excessive profits. Other Important Sources of Data. New Jersey – Analysis of Ratepayer Advocate on Verizon’s failed broadband deployment and the costs to customers. Initial Brief of the Division of The Ratepayer Advocate Regarding Opportunity New Jersey In the Matter of the Board's Inquiry into Bell Atlantic-New Jersey's Progress and Compliance with Opportunity New Jersey, its Network Modernization Program, DOCKET NO. TX96100707, March, 1997 http://www.rpa.state.nj.us/onj.htm This is a review of Verizon New Jersey’s compliance with the Alternate Regulations, where the Advocate demonstrates that through Alternate Regulation, the company made excessive profits, while not delivering fiber-optic services to customers. It is one of the only Advocate’s Offices to attempt to the hold the phone company accountable for their lack of upgrades and excess profits. California: "A Timeline of Pacific Bell's California Broadband Plans", published by San Diego Union, Tribune, 1998 (updated by NNI) http://www.newnetworks.com/californiabroadband.html Pennsylvania and New Jersey – Reports by Economics & Technology. Economics and Technology, a respected market research and consulting firm, has written a number or reports on the Verizon’s failure to deploy advanced networks and the costs to customers. To read their reports go to http://www.econtech.com (registration required.) Pennsylvania Testimony, Lee Selywn, Economics & Technology, http://www.teletruth.org/docs/LLS%20PA%20Senate%20Testimony%20Sept%2010%202002.pdf "Verizon Pennsylvania has realized financial gains in excess of $4-billion as a direct result of Chapter 30 'alternate regulation'." Other Bell Data:
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