Where I am now in NC, there really aren't a lot of options for the end users. It's either CenturyLink for phone or Spectrum for cable. Level 3 had a huge point of presence here and was the predominant CLEC, but since CenturyLink bought them, they are strong-arming customers to go back to their original copper plant instead of T1 circuits and channel banks/IADs.

Spectrum is expensive, but they do manage to come through on their promise of 200 meg via coax, and it is consistent on basic residential accounts, 400 on business. Mine is often higher. I bought their voice/data/TV bundle, with the basic TV channel lineup and it's about $180.00 per month. Because I need a real phone line for modem use, I pay another $30.00 for a copper POTS line from CenturyLink.

There's been some chat in this thread regarding the deplorable state of Verizon's copper plant. Having lived and worked in their DC/MD and VA region for decades, I can confirm that they really don't have any desire to do anything about it. Their golden child FiOS didn't work out too well where I was, so as Dex said, they're holding out for their 5G product as their last-ditch effort to exist. They really don't want to be in this business as is demonstrated by their products. What's ironic is that in some of their areas where FiOS was never deployed, they brought in the best of the best of their copper crews and put up some beautiful OSP work. Areas between Richmond, VA and Williamsburg, VA are examples. It's beautiful, like a work of art. It's like plumbing in the air with regard to neat bends, etc.

Back to the original subject: CenturyLink's copper plant in this area is in amazingly good condition. Years ago, Sprint took eastern North Carolina over from the former United/Carolina Telephone independent. They spent TONS of money on OSP rehab or replacement. They also replaced all COs in about a 30 mile radius with 5ESS offices. I mean they went as far as to go into existing buildings and replace the BETs with the latest and greatest, whether they were needed or not. The techs I've spoken to here in my travels tell me of how they rarely have issues with cable pairs, and even when they do, it is due to the usual: bullet holes, squirrels, lightning, cars hitting pedestals, etc. Their plant is really good for an independent.

Now they do offer their version of Verizon's FiOS or AT&T's U-Verse called 'Prism', but they really, really cherry-pick the areas where it's offered. It's a true FTTH product and they offer a full compliment of TV services. During my recent hospital stay, they were using Prism and the service was just fine. Someone, and I'm not sure who, is putting up 5G sites on poles all over the place around here. My guess is that it's CenturyLink, since their FTTH footprint is not growing.

Many of my neighbors in my apartment community are using CenturyLink's bonded DSL service. They manage to get about 60 Meg for $50.00, which is sufficient for streaming, from what I've been told. That's the only other Internet service they offer, unless someone really wants to go cheap and get their 25 Meg standard DSL. They don't offer DSL-only accounts, so I use my neighbor's 'free' POTS line as my occasional third one when needed. Yes, he knows that I'm doing this.

At&T's former BellSouth territories are about 30 miles north, south or east of here. Their deployment of U-Verse via FTTH is somewhat limited, but they're sure doing a lot of it using bonded DSL. It seems crazy, but I've seen it in action; decent data speeds and TV service over two copper pairs. In those areas, they seem to be taking care of their copper OSP as well.

One town about 20 miles west from here is served by Windstream (formerly AllTel). We have a customer there that needed more speed than a T1 could offer and all they had out in the country was the 100 pair copper cable feeding the building. Windstream bonded eight T1 circuits together using copper and believe it or not, it works pretty well. I think that there's still plenty of technology out there to support the copper infrastructure for a while.

The moral of the story is that the telcos are only going to spend money on what makes them money. That's just good business sense. I say fine, but if you're done with your old plant, you need to clean it up or remove it from sight.

Ed Vaughn, MBSWWYPBX