Tech Transitions: How Will You Know When You’re Transitioning?

[Commentary] In the previous posts of this series, we’ve referenced Fire Island (NY) a lot, but haven’t gone into detail. Here’s what happened, and why it still matters: In October 2012, Superstorm Sandy struck, and wrought unprecedented damage up and down the East Coast of the United States. The storm devastated many public utilities, leaving people without electricity, water, and phone access. In Fire Island, Verizon responded to the storm’s damage by replacing its landline copper phone and DSL network with a new fixed wireless service called “Voice Link.” This transition was extremely problematic for Fire Island residents.

For years, Public Knowledge has asked the Federal Communications Commission to implement adequate standards for public notification for the tech transitions. This means that even if a portion of the copper network is removed or disabled, the provider is effectively retiring the old network and should go through the necessary regulatory process to do so (including the FCC discontinuance notices we discussed last week). When a network is disabled for a short term, or only partially disabled, this may not significantly impact providers, but it can have a devastating impact on residents and businesses that rely on the network.