[ASOC]

Funny, I installed the 1ESS in Tucson in 1970 that replaced the old crossbar/tandem that my Dad worked on, and he almost lost his job, Ma Bell did not want to retrain him. He retired in '84, just ahead of the breakup, so his pension is with AT&T. I once asked him what he made, as top union craft - in 1984 it was $10.41/hr. How times have changed.


OSP - outside plant costs a fortune to install and maintain - here in Anchorage the ILEC refuses to install cable plant to new construction - claims the CLEC could take the customer and at $15.50 per month (line lease) they dont make enough money.

The average ILEC switch tech (this is a union ILEC BTW) get over $100,000 in pay and bennis worth an extra 25K per year. The CLEC switch techs make 50 - 60K/yr with decent bennis + a 401(k). Makes you wonder what the the CEO pulls down at either outfit.

The local CLEC is also a cable provider and now is moving to a Digital Local Phone Service (a variant of VoIP) and is dropping the ILEC leased lines in big numbers. Once the cable rots in the ground because it is 'dry', the ILEC will never replace it and if you leave the CLEC cable/telephone service, your choice is cell service or nada.

The folks in the US are used to a very reliable PSTN - and it is on the way out.

The Alaska market is tiny, maybe 600,000 lines statewide.

[cva66snipe]

No arguement from me. My dad retired craftsman. He was lucky and when ESS hit he went outside. They never offered him early retirement at any point. Many he worked with were offered it though. He stuck it out after the split till he was 65. That was about 13 years ago and not one person he worked with in his work group is still there. This was in a city as big as Tuscon probably bigger.