Telco news watcher, Light Reading, has an unconfirmed report that Qwest Communications International has issued an RFP thatTelco news watcher, Light Reading, has an unconfirmed report that Qwest Communications International has issued an RFP that
calls for a wide variety of technologies, including fiber to the premises (FTTP), fiber to the curb (FTTC), fiber to the node (FTTN), and upgrades to areas “currently fed by copper, digital loop carrier systems, and/or fiber multiplexers.” It may be replacing existing gear. It may be foraging into a huge access network makeover. Company execs in the CTO’s office haven’t returned calls seeking comment.
Hmmm‚Äö?Ѭ?I wonder about another possibility. Could Qwest¬¨‚Ć be positioning itself to move into the muni market? Historically, Qwest has battled¬¨‚Ćmunicipal initiatives. It took on iProvo toe-to-toe. But we’ve noted an interesting trend recently. Rather than fight munis, incumbents have begun to join ‘em.
Not long ago, we reported that AT&T is working with officials in Riverside, Ca.¬¨‚ĆIt’s clear that incumbents have much more to gain by partnering with municipal governments than by trying to defeat their proposals.¬¨‚ĆNew competitors nibbling¬¨‚Ćat incumbent territory threaten to gain holds in major markets where telcos refuse to play. For instance, Earthlink’s partnership in San Francisco, bogged down though it is in negotiations, is a case in point. — Carol Ellison
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