This discussion is Beehive CEO's - monthly column as found on the last page of Americas Network magazine. They have been printing his letters for nearly 20 years. This column will remain posted till he writes the next one.

The Last Word..                                                March 1998

A lesson in growth

Some parts of the country aren't even on the map.

Arizona has more than 5,000 dwellings that can't get wireline phones. Many of those folks have (higher priced) cellular access. That is what competition is about, folks!

 

A really big disconnect is the heading on page 39 of the Feb. 2 issue of U.S. News and World Report. The author, Fred Vogelstein, has, in less than two pages, distilled the political and economic essence of the U.S. telecommunications industry, past and present. Fred reports that Arizona has more than 5,000 dwellings that can't get wireline phones. Many of those folks have (higher priced) cellular access. That is what competition is about, folks!

The article points out that current federal communications commission (FCC) policy does not permit independent telephone companies to recover costs to extend wireline service to those rural folks. Vogelstein quotes Pine Tel's rod Huff to say he can't even connect 100 phoneless souls in Granite, Ore.

The article is balanced and thoughtful. I commend it to you as required reading. You might ask the publisher's permission to reproduce it as an insert to your customers. Also, you might wish to list these FCC bosses on your Web Page:

 

ELSEWHERE:

Vogelstein doesn't speak to such issues as a public service commission (PSC) forcing a small telco to plow 10 miles of cable to five homes, this after the families complained their cellular costs were too high. On the other hand, the FCC is disallowing the company's return on costs to provide a toll access.

In another instance, a new subdivision is being built a mile from a Bell-served town of 13,000. The turf was divided, half-Bell and half-independent. As the smaller company's toll lead passes through, it was agreed they would extend local wireline to the subdivision. Guess which Bell won't agree to extended area service without an order from the state PSC? The PSC says it can't order without a hearing. The hearing has to prove that both areas have enough in-town calls to justify local calling. The subdivision is not yet built. I assume this levity is part of the new world of competition.

 

AGAIN, BELLCORE

I'VE HAD A LOT OF GROWTH IN REAL EASTERN Nevada. It's so rural, the names are not even in Rand McNally or the National Geographic map index. Only we and maybe the regional United Parcel Service driver know. Take the Nevada area 20 miles south of Garrison, Utah, where in eons past the community was know as Burbank: Growth in the area led to my decision to add a new exchange.

So far so good. Getting the 702-NXX out of California was easier than the stonewalling we always get from US West. US West has not read the new Telecommunications Act. Fact is that, because the exchange did not cut over in a timely fashion, the Bell folk who keep the keys to l70 codes moved to take it back!

Seems the delay was because Bellcore refused to issue a common language location identification (CLLI-silly_) code. They could not find Burbank on their maps! We had provided latitude and longitude, plus metes and bounds in township and range and mileage from points that were on their maps. I've never heard such wimpy shining. Even our state maps don't list many of the rural place names to where our phones lines go.

Our customers had notified the world they would be accessible the first of January. This assumes Bellcore would have issued the silly code three months prior. Bellcore didn't so we couldn't. Silly codes in hand, the network says it will input the software to get our new exchange. Maybe by May 1. Grumble.

CARPET-BAGGERS

An honored profession is the traveling salesman. I depend on sales types, and pray reps come to see me. I'll tell them shat I am doing and expect advice that will solve my problems. And, I will give them orders. Good sales reps do not sell "stuff". Rather, they sell me solutions. Vendors today expect us to call their office with orders. That's not the way. I want to see sales buys and gals that are, before anything, application engineers. I've not seen such folk for years! Do any exist?

I'll be at the Baltimore convention Center for ISPCON spring '98 March 17-19. For more information, visit www.boardwatch.com.

 

 

 

Copyright 1998 by A. W. Brothers and Americas Network magazine. All rights reserved.

 

© 1997, 1998, 1999 Beehive Telephone Co.