AT&T seeks permission to shut down 13 legacy bridging and multiplexing services

AT&T (NYSE: T) has asked the FCC for permission to shut down 13 bridging and multiplexing services offered by its affiliates in its wireline territory, signaling yet another move to retire legacy services that are no longer used.

The service provider asked the FCC in a filing for approval to discontinue 13 operator services.

The services it is seeking to discontinue are in four main categories: central office bridging, telephoto capability, signaling transfer and loop transfer.

A product of the aging TDM world, the Metallic Service Central Office Series Bridging Capability allows for the connection of Tip-to-Tip and Ring-to-Ring 2-Wire metallic pair to up to 26 customer premises.

Meanwhile, the Direct Analog Service Telemetry and Alarm Bridging service connects an alarm circuit or telemetry circuit (automatic measurement and transmission of data by wire from remote sources for recording and analysis) to additional customer premises.

"AT&T has no customers that subscribe to these service options," AT&T said in a FCC filing, adding that just to make sure, it sent out an electronic notification to its CLEC customers and posted the notice to its website on April 6.

If the FCC approves its request, AT&T will stop offering these services on July 1, 2016 throughout its affiliates' respective geographic service areas in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The affiliates in these states include Illinois Bell Telephone Company d/b/a AT&T Illinois, Indiana Bell Telephone Company, Inc. d/b/a AT&T Indiana, Michigan Bell Telephone Company d/b/a AT&T Michigan, The Ohio Bell Telephone Company d/b/a AT&T Ohio, and Wisconsin Bell, Inc. d/b/a AT&T Wisconsin.

These are just some of several legacy services that AT&T has asked the FCC for permission to retire over the past year.

In March, AT&T sought the FCC's permission to stop offering a number of legacy busy line operator services due to low usage.

Earlier, AT&T asked to shut down its BellSouth analog video service in Carbon Hill, Ala., and Kings Point, Fla., two markets where it is conducting TDM-to-IP service trials.

For more:
- see this FCC filing (PDF)

Related articles:
AT&T asks FCC to let it shut down unused BellSouth analog video service
AT&T to conduct TDM-to-IP transition tests in Alabama, Florida
AT&T responds as Wheeler sets pace for TDM to IP transition
AT&T, Verizon execs cite 'chilling' effect of murky TDM-to-IP transition regs