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Voice and Data Services Telecom Services |
Industry Overview
Deregulation of local telephone service throughout the United States was permanently enacted through the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In reality, this Act was simply the next step in the historical evolution of the industry from monopoly (AT&T and the Bell system) to competitive markets. The PBX interconnect industry was born when customer equipment markets were deregulated. Long distance was the next market segment to be opened to competition and, in the past 18 months, competition in the cellular/wireless markets has exploded with the entry of Personal Communications System ("PCS") technology. Local open competition in voice and data represents a historic juncture in the telecommunications market evolution.
Opportunities in the local exchange market for Competitive Local Exchange Companies (CLECs) are similar to the conditions present in the long distance marketplace in the early 1980s. The local markets are much larger than the long distance market of the eighties. Additionally, local exchange services are sold as complimentary products to other telecom products, therefore creating an even larger market for a company created to handle a full line of telecommunications products and services.
Since the opening of the long distance markets to competition in 1984, AT&T has given up 47.9% market share, but entered new businesses and emerged a larger and stronger company. Similarly, it is expected that the ILECs will lose sizable share in local markets while gaining the ability to enter long distance and information services markets. As occurred in the long distance scenario, successful new players in the local telecom markets can accomplish significant gains for their shareholders.
Carolinanet is an authorized representative for three Competitive Local Exchange Companies (CLECs), Nuvox and Deltacom. Additionally Carolinanet can provide fiber transport services from DukeNet Communications. Contact Nicky Smith at (336) 346-6000 Extension 105 for a detail analysis of your telecom services or email Nicky at [email protected].

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