Verizon, Copper, Fiber, and the Truth

Alexander Graham Cracker writes "Starting last spring, reports began surfacing of Verizon routinely disabling copper as it installed its fiber-based FiOS service. We discussed the issue here a couple of times. In my experience, every time Verizon has installed FiOS at a friend's house, they have insisted they have to cut off the copper and move the POTS to the fiber. By doing so, they block anyone else such as COVAD or Cavalier from renting the copper for competitive access. Sources report that today, at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Verizon executive VP Thomas Tauke denied ever doing that. (The transcript should be up in a day or so. The AP coverage does not mention this detail.) I wonder if Rep. Markey's staff is interested in hearing from people who experienced Verizon disabling copper, and without notice?"

Verizon disabling copper?

[eniac42]

Nope, my pennies still seem to work..

Re:Verizon disabling copper?

[Mr. Underbridge]

Nope, my pennies still seem to work..

Only if they're 1982 or older.

Congress should be assured

[User 956]

Sources report that today, at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Verizon executive VP Thomas Tauke denied ever doing that.

In congress' opinion, this is a non-issue, as long as Verizon leaves the tubes intact.

Re:Happened to me

[steve6534]

Because glass doesn't conduct electricity as well as copper :-)

The real reason...

[Cryophallion]

The sad part is that they are only doing this for one reason:

Scrap copper money.

In a world where a company will do anything to keep wall street and its investors happy, they have decided to make money off the scrap copper now that they are going fiber optic.

Actually, they are now looking into scrap fiber optic for the next generation.

Re:Verizon disabling copper?

[Anonymous Coward]

at least Verizon hasn't disabled *that* as well. Although I'm sure they'd love to...

Nickels are safe, unless Verizon changes its corporate strategy to simply dime us to death.

Re:Verizon disabling copper?

[Ambiguous Coward]

Well, I don't know about you but after paying my last bill, I feel like I've been drawn and quartered.

-G

Re:Verizon disabling copper?

[Ambiguous Coward]

And even if I do ever get fiber to where I live, it'll probably be a day late and a dollar short, to boot.

-G

Re:Not for me

[jez9999]

They left my copper in, because it was too difficult to remove.

Was that before or after you smacked him over the head with a torque wrench?

Re:Verizon disabling copper?

[sedmonds]

You can always go to corporate offices and pay in pennies. In the end of a sock. Swung at speed.