The Bells are providing some parts of the network, but apparently only a small fraction. Netopia and Copper Mountain are DSL-focused companies that supply equipment both to MCI and to the CLECs they are partnering with. Market testing is beginning, but they are clearly prepared to offer service at the bottom of that range, and probably below in the future. He told us they were ready to be as competitive as necessary. The President of a large data CLEC echoed that sentiment.
Companies are proud of what they installed - but remain quiet about the number of actual customers.
But Fred Chang of SBC at Supercomm reported some RBOC figures, and DSL Prime has been able to fill in some of the holes. We are confident the June customer count is between 150 and 200,000 and at the end of 1999 will be between 700 and 850,000. The demand is there, press coverage is escalating, and broadband content is becoming available, so this number will be higher if the field can install more. It may be slightly lower if field problems continue. Below, we explain why we think the number at the end of next year will be at least 2,000,000 and more likely 3,000,000.