*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 23576.doc* NEWS Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D. C. Circ 1974). News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov TTY: 1- 888- 835- 5322 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: December 9, 2002 Mike Balmoris at (202) 418- 0253 Email: mbalmori@ fcc. gov FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION RELEASES DATA ON LOCAL TELEPHONE COMPETITION Washington, D. C. – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released summary statistics of its latest data on local telephone service competition in the United States. Telecommunications service providers file data on lines in service to end- user customers and mobile wireless telephone subscribership twice a year in the Commission’s local competition and broadband data gathering program (FCC Form 477). Reporting of state- level data is mandatory for carriers with at least 10,000 switched access lines, or at least 10,000 mobile wireless telephone service subscribers, in a state. Statistics released today summarize FCC Form 477 filings made by qualifying providers on September 1, 2002, and reflect data as of June 30, 2002. Summary Statistics € End- user customers obtained local telephone service by means of some 167 million incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) switched access lines, 22 million competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) switched access lines, and 129 million mobile wireless telephone service subscriptions. € Total CLEC switched access lines increased by 10% during the first half of 2002, from 19.7 million to 21.6 million lines. By comparison, total CLEC switched access lines increased by 14% during the preceding six months, from 17.3 to 19.7 million lines. € About 11.4% of the 189 million total switched access lines were reported by CLECs, compared to 9.0% a year earlier. € Slightly over one- half of CLEC switched access lines served residential and small business customers, compared to over three- quarters of ILEC lines. CLECs reported 7.8% of total residential and small business switched access lines, compared to 5.5% a year earlier. € During the first half of 2002, cable- telephony lines increased by 16% to 2.6 million lines, from about 2.2 million. The 2.6 million reported cable- telephony lines constituted about 12% of switched access lines provided by CLECs and about 1% of total switched access lines. € CLECs reported providing about 21% (a decline from 43% in December 1999) of their switched access lines by reselling the services of other carriers and about 50% (an increase from 24% in December 1999) by means of unbundled network element (UNE) 1 loops leased from other carriers. The remainder of CLEC lines was provided over local- loop facilities owned by the CLECs. € ILECs reported providing about 29% more UNE loops with switching to other carriers at the end of June 2002 than they reported six months earlier (7. 5 million compared to 5.8 million) and about 10% more UNE loops without switching (about 4.1 million compared to 3.7 million). € At least one CLEC was serving local telephone service end- user customers in 67% of the nation’s zip codes at the end of June 2002, up from 60% a year earlier. About 93% of United States households resided in these zip codes. CLECs reported customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. As additional information becomes available, it will be routinely posted on the Commission’s Internet site. The statistical summary is available in the FCC’s Reference Information Center, Courtyard Level, 445 12th Street, S. W. Copies may be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Qualex International, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S. W., Room CY- B402, Washington, D. C., telephone (202) 863- 2893, facsimile (202) 863- 2898, or via e- mail qualexint@ aol. com. The statistical summary can also be downloaded from the FCC- State Link Internet site at www. fcc. gov/ wcb/ stats. - FCC - Wireline Competition Bureau contacts: Industry Analysis and Technology Division at (202) 418- 0940, TTY (202) 418- 0484. 2