PCCA Journal 4th Quarter 2013 - page 30

PCCA Journal|4
th
Quarter 2013
30
precisely due to such gaming.
 
• The FCC’s “one-size-fits-all” approach
for limiting small carriers’ support will
lead to even more infrastructure delays
as the most efficient companies sit on
the sidelines out of fear of having sup-
port reduced in the future.
“The findings of this study reaffirm
what we’ve known for quite some time
and that our members reported in a study
months ago: That uncertainty from these
caps is causing rural carriers—and their
lenders—to back away from projects
that are needed to spur rural economic
development and avoid leaving millions
of Americans behind in a broadband
world,” said NTCA Chief Executive Offi-
cer Shirley Bloomfield. “We recognize the
need to encourage efficient and effective
broadband investment, but this mecha-
nism in its current form is unfortunately
failing to achieve that purpose.”
“The Communications Act explicitly
states that rural Americans deserve com-
munications services that are compa-
rable in quality and cost to consumers in
urban areas,” said USTelecom President
Walter McCormick. “The framework for
the investment and support needed to
provide these services is fracturing due
to the regulatory uncertainty docu-
mented in the Wilkie study. The rules
implementing the FCC’s 2011 order have
decreased investment in rural broadband
infrastructure by the small companies
serving 40 percent of our nation’s land
mass. We look forward to working with
the commission on ways to solve these
difficult problems.”
CenturyLink Brings 1 Gigabit
Fiber Service to Las Vegas
C
enturyLink, Inc. announced in October that it
will expand its fiber network pilot to Las Vegas,
Nev., enabling internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit
per second (Gbps). CenturyLink’s enhanced fiber
network will deliver this ultra-fast broadband technology to
residential and small business customers in select Las Vegas
neighborhoods beginning this fall.
CenturyLink launched its first 1 Gbps fiber network in
Omaha, Nebr., in May. The company expects to have the
targeted homes and businesses in Omaha connected with its
fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology by the end of Octo-
ber. The company will also use FTTP technology to deliver
some of the fastest internet speeds available in the United
States to select homes and small businesses in Las Vegas.
The company said that with this highly-advanced service,
customers will be able to download a high-definition movie
in seconds and stream it from multiple devices, gain instant
access to cloud services and applications on demand, and
download or upload large multimedia files all at the same
time.
“CenturyLink is pleased to announce that Las Vegas will be
the next city to receive ultra-fast broadband speeds up to 1
Gbps,” said Matt Beal, CenturyLink chief technology officer.
“We know our customers will embrace this new technology
that will allow them to simultaneously use multiple devices
in their homes and businesses without the burden of band-
width constraints.” 
CenturyLink’s 1 Gbps service is equivalent to 1,000
Mbps—an internet speed that is 100 times faster than aver-
age broadband speeds—and will have a direct connection to
the company’s recently upgraded 100 Gbps global network,
designed to accommodate today’s bandwidth demands. This
next generation fiber technology also enables CenturyLink
to provide a symmetrical service, meaning customers can
download and upload information at identical speeds of up
to 1 Gbps.
“An aspect of my efforts as governor has been fostering
the growth of Nevada’s technology industry throughout the
state,” said Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval. “Las Vegas has
always been one of America’s most connected cities and is
quickly becoming a premier destination for launching tech-
focused businesses. CenturyLink’s high-speed 1 Gbps fiber
network pilot in Las Vegas adds another level of vital infra-
structure to support our continued growth as a technology-
driven city.”
CenturyLink will make its 1 Gbps service available to resi-
dents in its first Las Vegas community this fall and intends to
launch the service in additional communities into 2014. Small
business customers in select locations will also be eligible for
1 Gbps service in early 2014.
Internet Innovation Alliance
Report Finds Federal Regs Outdated
B
ecause only about 5 percent of Americans rely
on POTS (plain old telephone service) and the
other 95 percent use wireless, VoIP, cable, and
other non-regulated methods, it’s incumbent
upon the federal government to remove outdated regulations
that require telcos to maintain traditional switched copper
networks, an Internet Innovation Alliance report says.
According to the report, “Telecommunications Competi-
Telecom News
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