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Econ Focus

Winter 2003

Beyond the Turmoil

After a period of rapid and uneven growth, the telecommunications industry in the Fifth District is in the midst of a painful reorganization as service providers rethink how to meet customer demand.
By Charles Gerena

What About the Little Guys?

Competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) tend to focus on medium-to-large enterprises in major metropolitan areas, leaving homes and small businesses to the regional Bell operating companies (RBOCs) and other incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs). The result — fewer options and higher prices for telecom services in some markets.

Percentage of Lines Provided to Residential and Small Business Customers

	ILECs	CLECs
District of Columbia	33	13
Maryland	64	23
North Carolina	81	20
South Carolina	82	6
Virginia	68	58
West Virginia	74	*
U.S. AVERAGE	77	45
Data withheld to maintain firm confidentiality Source: Local Telephone Competition*: Status as of June 30, 2001, Federal Communications Commission

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