Survey of ISPs From Massachusetts---- 10/26/00
FCC Data Pertaining to the NYNEX-Bell Atlantic Merger Reveals Service Declines for Competitors (including ISPs and their Customers) in Massachusetts.
When NYNEX merged with Bell Atlantic, the new company was required to give specific information about the Bell's treatment of its own customers, as well as the services they provided to competitors. This information was collected, starting in September 97 primarily to make sure that there was no service declines after the mergers.
Unfortunately, the data clearly shows that throughout the Verizon territories, including Massachusetts, service has seriously declined for competition in numerous ways as compared to the Bell's treatment of their own customers. This clear example of favoritism is demonstrated in information supplied to the FCC.
However, the FCC has NOT officially released this information with either a report or a press release. The only documentation is that provided in graphic representation.
SEE: http://www.fcc.gov/ccb/asd/BA_NYNEX/perfMonGraphs.html
NOTE: There are numerous caveats to this research. NNI is currently completing a report on this information, which should completed October, 2000.
The Attached Graphs:
Click here for graphs: (1.2 meg PDF file)
NOTE: Bell Information Is In Blue, CLEC Information Is In Red
The first graph shows that services (installations completed within five days) supplied to the CLECs by Verizon in its 14 states have been in a major decline over the last 34 months --- since the merger.
Verizon's treatment of their customers has remained fairly stable since the merger. However, services supplied to CLECs have eroded --- from 85% of installations being completed within five days in September 97 to having only 25% of the CLECs services being completed in a timely fashion. This means that when a line is ordered by the CLEC, approximately 75% of the time, the customer using a CLEC will wait longer for the service installation to be completed
Provisioning of POTS, "Percent Completed within Five Days
9/97-6/00
9/97_________ 6/0090% _________ 95% Bell Atlantic, Massachusetts
90%_________ 30% Competitors in Massachusetts
The Second Graph: The Massachusetts data for this same measurement, (sometimes called "Metric"), also shows a significant decline since the merger. Before the merger, 90% of the orders were filled within five business days for competitors. Today, only 30% will have a installation completed in five days.
The direct impact on the Internet Providers and DSL customer is obvious --- When a DSL customer orders service through an ISP that uses a CLEC, the ISP's customer will have to wait longer for a phoneline installation.
More importantly, this information corroborates the information supplied by the ISPs in our Massachusetts survey, as well as the information supplied by the CLECs and associations in Verizon's attempt to enter long distance in the Bay state.