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Birch Supports FCC Framework for Network Transition
[August 07, 2015]

Birch Supports FCC Framework for Network Transition


ATLANTA, Aug. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Birch Communications, Inc., ("Birch") a leading nationwide provider of communications, network and cloud services to small, mid-sized, enterprise and wholesale businesses, strongly supports Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler's proposed recommendations for the transition from copper to IP-based networks released yesterday. The proposed rules establish a regulatory framework necessary to ensure consumer protections, preserve competition among carriers, and guarantee public safety. 

Birch Communications, Inc.

The framework proposed by Chairman Wheeler will protect vital communication networks, offering a clear roadmap for the future by establishing regulatory safeguards needed to promote long-term investments. For the first time, the incumbent phone companies will be required to notify customers--including consumers, businesses, and competing telecommunications carriers--of their plans to retire copper networks. The FCC bolstered that requirement by further requiring replacement services be available at comparable rates terms, and conditions.



"We fully support FCC Chairman Wheeler's position on the transition to IP-based networks.  Copper networks will continue to be of significant importance to small and midsized businesses as their bandwidth needs grow. Safeguards regulating the decommissioning process will protect consumers and businesses while preserving competition--allowing businesses to innovate," said Vincent M. Oddo, President and CEO, Birch. "The importance of existing copper network infrastructure cannot be overstated, both for businesses and as a foundation for the development of advanced communication networks. The FCC today took steps to encourage the orderly transition to next-generation communications networks in a forward-thinking manner."

"The rules proposed by the FCC will prevent the neglect of traditional, pervasive copper networks, which will serve to protect consumers while still encouraging investment in new technologies," said Christopher Bunce, Senior Vice President, Legal & Regulatory, and General Counsel at Birch. "Commissioner Wheeler's new framework can protect the very infrastructure that our business and consumer customers rely on today and allow the industry to more intelligently transition to the next phase of telecommunications technology."


About Birch Communications

Birch Communications, Inc. is a leading communications, network, cloud and IT solutions provider. Recognized for exceptional customer experience, Birch delivers compelling solutions that assist small, mid-sized, enterprise and wholesale businesses to increase their productivity. Its industry-leading product portfolio is available nationwide and includes Metro-Fiber, Metro-Ethernet, unified communications (UC), hosted phone systems, hosted data centers, and hosted file storage services. For more information, visit birch.com.

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To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/birch-supports-fcc-framework-for-network-transition-300125669.html

SOURCE Birch Communications, Inc.


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