re: the DSL line sharing order
Ken, here are some references on the order, below. My suggestion would be to first digest these documents and weigh their import against other known factors and arguments -and don't rule out the possibility of court appeals- before formulating an opinion on the mattter. My first take will be that we will not see a unified kind of response from the LECs, but one never knows.
During the earlier run of messages on this topic here, I stated that I had initially confused this pending order, at the time, with other initiatives that were on the books at the Fed. In retrospect, however, I now see that they are all related. For, this sharing order is sure to contaminate or otherwise influence the unbundling of UNEs elsewhere in the network, and the terms by which subsidiary LEC operators might be set up, as well.
Regards, Frank Coluccio
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The Press Release:
fcc.gov
The Text version of same:
fcc.gov
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FAQS: Third Report and Order "Line Sharing"
fcc.gov
I. Technical Aspects of Order
ADSL modems are capable of transmitting at up to 120 times faster than the speed of 56
kilobits per second (kbps) dial-up modems.
ADSL modems are capable of receiving up to 8 megabits per second
(Mbps) "downstream," and transmitting up to 1 Mbps "upstream."
The high frequency portion of the loop is the frequency range above the voiceband on a
copper loop facility used to carry analog circuit-switched voiceband transmissions.
Carriers use a passive filter, or splitter, to split the digital and voice signals and direct
them to the packet-switched network and circuit-switched network, respectively.
II. Pro-Competitive Aspects of Order
Consumers will not have to buy a 2nd telephone line to have access to a competitive
carrier's high-speed Internet access.
Consumers will not have to change their phone number to get access to a competitive
carrier's high-speed Internet access service.
Line sharing will facilitate further investment by competitive data providers and
encourage these providers to deploy advanced services in areas where, heretofore, it has
not been economically viable to do so.
III. Operational Aspects of Order
Incumbents must provide unbundled access to the high frequency portion of the loop to
any carrier that seeks to deploy any version of xDSL that is presumed to be acceptable
for shared line deployment in accordance with the rules adopted in the Order.
Incumbents are not required to unbundle the lower frequency portion of the loop
(voiceband).
Incumbents must share the line with only one requesting carrier.
Carriers may not request access to just the high frequency portion of a loop if the
inclument is not presently using that loop to provide analog voice service.
The requirements set forth in the Order will go into effect 30 days from publication in the
Federal Register. The Order recognizes, however, that it will take additional time to work
out operational issues.
Indeed.
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