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Committee hears concerns about ISP copper-to-fiber transition; industry says rollout underway
Summary
House Bill 166 would establish a legislative committee to review internet service providers' plans to transition from copper networks to fiber. Witnesses said carriers have active plans and federal reporting obligations; proponents framed the bill as a transparency exercise to surface technical or market risks.
Representative Keith Ammon (pinch-hitting for the prime sponsor) described HB 166 as a sunlight exercise: a legislative committee would review internet service providers’ infrastructure transition plans from copper to fiber to ensure conversions do not create service disruptions or leave rural customers behind.
"A whistleblower from an ISP came forward and said that there is an inevitable progression from copper to fiber... but that the plan is obviously too aggressive and that if attempted as intended, it might lead to outages, particularly in rural areas," Representative Ammon summarized when introducing the bill.
Teresa Rosenberger, representing the New Hampshire Telephone Association and Consolidated Communications, testified that the firms she represents already have detailed build-out plans and federal reporting obligations following recent federal broadband funding. "All of my clients have a plan," Rosenberger said. She cautioned that requiring only copper-network operators to disclose proprietary build plans could disadvantage them commercially and that carriers already notify the Federal Communications Commission when they plan a copper discontinuance.
Committee members sought technical clarifications. Representative Summers noted the cost elements of fiber upgrades (switching equipment, transceivers, repeaters) and asked whether state action could reach that technical level; Rosenberger replied that equipment choices are commercially determined and regulated at the federal level. Representative Kaplan asked whether copper-to-fiber transitions would threaten electrical service or public-safety systems; Rosenberger said she was not aware of any evidence that fiber rollouts directly cause electrical outages.
The bill’s sponsors framed the legislation as a risk-management measure: if the state examines the timelines, incentives and safeguards now, it can reduce the chance of unforeseen outages or cost spikes in rural areas as carriers upgrade networks. Industry witnesses emphasized that many carriers already accept federal funds and must meet deployment milestones and reporting requirements.
The committee collected testimony and closed the hearing without taking a vote that day. The online portal showed four supporters and one opponent for the measure; the committee said it would consider the testimony and any public filings at a later date.
