LANSING – There were again fewer telephone lines in Michigan and competitors to the incumbent phone companies controlled a larger percentage of those lines, according to the annual competition report from the Public Service Commission.
The 10th annual report showed there were 3.9 million telephone lines in the state in 2009, down from 4.19 million in 2008 and from the high of 7 million in 2001.
Of those total lines, AT&T controlled 60.8 percent, Verizon had 10.7 percent and the various competitive local exchange carriers had 24.2 percent. Other local incumbent providers represented 4.3 percent.
The report showed not only had the percentage of the market controlled by CLECs increased, but so had the actual number of lines, to 947,068 from 859,370 in 2008.
More of those competitors also owned their own facilities in 2009, with about 350,000 lines owned by the CLEC compared to about 500,000 leased from the incumbent. Leased line numbers held steady from 2008.
“The Commission is encouraged that the facilities based competition in Michigan will continue to maintain a stable competitive environment,” the report said.
The report was compiled based on surveys to the providers, which were returned by all 40 of the incumbent providers and 129 of the 190 CLECS.
Of the CLECS responding, only 17 had more than 10,000 lines. Fifty were not currently providing service and 31 each had fewer than 1,000 lines and fewer than 10,000 lines.
While wireline service declined, the report showed wireless service increasing. Based on Federal Communications Commission Data, there were 7.8 million wireless customers in the state in 2008.
The report also showed a decline in broadband connections in the state, but said much of that was a change in federal definitions related to mobile broadband.
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