Consumer advocate talks phone service in remote area

PLATTE COUNTY – Wyoming Office of Consumer Advocate held informational meetings last week in Lusk and Wheatland to discuss the ongoing investigation of Century Link. Customers have been complaining to the commission about their poor phone service in Sybille Canyon and Lusk.
The OCA was created to represent the interests of Wyoming citizens in matters involving public utilities, but the ultimate decisions are still made by the Public Service Commission.
Bryce Freeman, OCA Administrator, was present to try and explain the current situation. Century Link is the only phone company that services Lusk and Sybille Canyon. The Anaconda system that was put in place in the 1970s has deteriorated to the point customers frequently have dropped calls or cannot hear callers from the other end. It has become a public safety issue, with customers unable to call for help in an emergency.

The OCA hired out-of-state experts to analyze the system and give recommendations for improvement. They suggested the entire system be replaced with a digital fiber network. The OCA shared the report with Century Link and suggested the upgrade would cost a few million dollars. Century Link responded that it would cost tens of millions of dollars and countered with an offer of installing a hybrid radio fiber solution that would still leave some copper in the ground, but they would build more towers to receive the signals better. This option would improve the voice quality and reliability, but would not provide any sort of broadband or internet access.
The OCA is dealing with a significant deadline. Back in the 1990s, Century Link requested to be de-regulated by the government due to competition in the telecommunications market in Wyoming and they didn’t have a monopoly on the utility. They have already been de-regulated in the larger towns of Wyoming. The Legislature passed the “Sunset Clause.” As of July 1, 2019, Century Link will be de-regulated by the State of Wyoming and no longer be subject to their demands of better service. Century Link has already informed the OCA if they try to insist they install the complete digital network, they will appeal the decision as a stall tactic until the Sunset Clause goes into effect, eliminating the control the OCA has over them.
The idea of a free market works in larger cities, but with the rural areas – no other company wants to provide service. There are not enough consumers to generate the revenue required to make it work their while financially.
“The state wanted competition, and that has worked in the larger cities and towns, but they didn’t take into consideration what would happen to the folks that didn’t have any choice,” said Freeman. “You’re the ones who have to put up with poor quality service and still have to pay for it.”
The OCA is still looking for options, but the settlement suggested by Century Link seems to be the only way to at least get a fraction of better phone service for their rural customers. To get more information on the case, contact Bryce Freeman, Administrator, (307) 777-5742 or Bryce.Freeman@wyo.gov.