Current Federal and State Policy Issues Pertaining to Verizon Communications and Broadband Deployment in Massachusetts

Abstract

This background briefing paper was drafted by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to help the Mass Broadband Initiative advisory committee understand the context of several important regulatory issues affecting Verizon and its competitors, not only in Massachusetts but in the country as a whole. These issues have taken on added importance as the current economic downturn has led to the bankruptcy or downsizing of many Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs), which were established to compete directly with Verizon and the other Baby Bells (Qwest, BellSouth, and SBC Communications). The troubles in the CLEC industry have rippled back into the telecommunications equipment industry (including companies in Massachusetts), and have raised the bar for local Internet access projects (such as those represented on our Mass Broadband Initiative advisory committee), which are organized to create facilities-based competition at the local level.