CWA Misconstrued Amount Verizon Spends on Copper Network, Company Says in Ex Parte Filing

From 2008 to 2014 Verizon spent more than $12 billion on its copper network, the company said in an ex parte filing Friday, in response to a letter that the Communications Workers of America (CWA) sent on Oct. 9 (see 1510130033) that attempted to "cast Verizon as failing to invest and maintain its network." The $200 million figure that CWA continues to use and that Verizon used in a July letter to the FCC reflected "a small subset" of what the company said it spends to maintain, repair, rehabilitate, restore and supplement its copper plant, the filing said. The $200 million reflected spending only in one category of capital investment, Verizon said. Verizon said the company's total 2008-14 expenditure on its wireline network was $50 billion. "We are taking reasonable steps to ensure we maintain the quality of service we provide to all of our customers, including those served by copper." CWA didn't comment.