Published November 2004

Verizon’s future ‘based on investment, innovation’

By John Wolcott
SCBJ Editor

The “telecom industry upheaval is unfolding at warp speed,” Verizon Northwest’s regional group president, Steve Banta, told attendees of the Everett Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting, held in October at the Everett Events Center.

“There are now 160 million Americans with mobile phones, the same number as desk phones. One-third of all U.S. households will soon have broadband Internet service. Voice calls over Internet lines are becoming commonplace,” Banta said. “A few years ago, you used a phone for calling, a television for entertainment and a computer for writing. Today, multiple devices are merging into a single device, thanks to telecom networks.”

As networks become even faster and access becomes even easier, telecommunications technology will play an increasingly important role, which is why Verizon — which already has the largest telecom network in the country — is working to expand high-speed services even more, he said.

“Wireless is a good example of our ability to evolve from one technology to another,” Banta said. “We have been converting our analog national network to digital to meet the tremendous growth. Now we’re moving cellular technology into broadband speeds and developing wireless networks that reach much farther than today’s limited wi-fi networks.”

Earlier this year, he said, Verizon announced installation of new equipment in Mount Vernon that will be the first site in the nation to provide voice and video network transmissions simultaneously.

Verizon also has made a major commitment to provide fiber-optic cable networks to homes to provide improved entertainment and communication services, he said, including enhanced teleconferencing.

“We have a vision for the future based on investment and innovation that will drive more customer demand as we deploy high-speed broadband services that will enrich not only telecommunications but education programs, medical telecommunications and business opportunities,” Banta said.

On the downside, he said, Verizon’s advancement into new technologies has been hampered by state and federal regulations and outdated rates for earlier land-line residential telephones, which is why the company recently filed for an interim 75 percent rate hike for residential customers, a request that was turned down by Washington state regulators in October.

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