The following table includes total Retail Access Lines as reported by Maine Incumbent Local Excahnge Carriers (ILEC) also known as Providers of Last Resort (POLR). Retail Access Lines include such categories as Residential Premium and Economy Lines, Business Premium and Economy Lines, Public Access Lines, Centrex Lines, and PBX Trunks.
| ILEC | 2008 Access Lines | 2009 Access Lines | 2010 Access Lines | 2011 Access Lines | 2012 Access Lines | 2013 Access Lines | 2014 Access Lines | 2015 Access Lines | 2016 Access Lines | 2017 Access Lines | 2018 Access Lines | 2019 Access Lines | Change 2018-2019 | Change 2008-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Communications of Maine Company* | 47,914 | 41,323 | 37,673 | 34,033 | 31,761 | 28,949 | 26,478 | 24,124 | 22,007 | 20,127 | 18,340 | 16,494 | -10% | -66% |
| Consolidated Communications | 411,345 | 378,969 | 340,333 | 313,254 | 289,412 | 266,161 | 237,812 | 198,325 | 178,952 | 160,963 | 136,571 | 123,620 | -9% | -70% |
| UniTel Co. | 4,386 | 4,282 | 4,001 | 3,817 | 3,677 | 3,527 | 3,417 | 3,295 | 2,888 | 3,001 | 2,915 | 2,816 | -3% | -36% |
| Union River | 1,260 | 1,224 | 1,190 | 1,169 | 1,115 | 1,074 | 1,050 | 1,064 | 1,072 | 1,074 | 1,066 | 1,086 | 2% | -14% |
| Cobboseecontee Tel & Tel Co. | 645 | 554 | 501 | 478 | 457 | 418 | 385 | 348 | 307 | 263 | 243 | 235 | -3% | -64% |
| Hampden Telephone Co. | 2,857 | 2,581 | 2,439 | 2,229 | 2,084 | 2,105 | 1,973 | 1,835 | 1,710 | 1,539 | 1,430 | 1,404 | -2% | -51% |
| Hartland & St. Albans Telephone Co. | 3,659 | 3,350 | 3,104 | 2,993 | 2,823 | 2,713 | 2,565 | 2,447 | 2,340 | 2,203 | 2,102 | 2,027 | -4% | -45% |
| Island Telephone Co. | 620 | 600 | 591 | 593 | 580 | 556 | 557 | 549 | 562 | 521 | 524 | 514 | -2% | -17% |
| Somerset Telephone Co. | 10,509 | 9,634 | 9,200 | 8,874 | 8,422 | 8,177 | 7,911 | 7,560 | 7,358 | 7,145 | 6,858 | 6,843 | 0% | -35% |
| Warren Telephone Co. | 1,528 | 1,347 | 1,250 | 1,187 | 1,091 | 1,014 | 942 | 865 | 805 | 731 | 673 | 610 | -9% | -60% |
| West Penobscot Telephone Co. | 2,207 | 2,056 | 1,963 | 1,906 | 1,839 | 1,781 | 1,722 | 1,687 | 1,665 | 1,632 | 1,619 | 1,611 | 0% | -27% |
| Lincolnville Networks | 1,794 | 1,749 | 1,689 | 1,630 | 1,598 | 1,571 | 1,550 | 1,534 | 1,505 | 1,473 | 1,490 | 1,494 | 0% | -17% |
| Tidewater Telecom | 10,261 | 9,762 | 9,378 | 8,954 | 8,667 | 8,342 | 7,787 | 7,236 | 6,873 | 6,544 | 6,267 | 6,011 | -4% | -41% |
| Mid-Maine Communications | 5,228 | 4,699 | 4,228 | 3,890 | 3,592 | 3,204 | 2,954 | 2,647 | 2,384 | 2,168 | 1,954 | 1,784 | -9% | -66% |
| Pine Tree Tel & Tel Co. | 5,373 | 4,820 | 4,202 | 3,751 | 3,435 | 3,052 | 2,755 | 2,409 | 2,179 | 1,968 | 1,783 | 1,576 | -12% | -71% |
| Saco River Tel. & Tel Co. | 7,079 | 6,202 | 5,444 | 4,881 | 4,447 | 4,019 | 3,609 | 3,219 | 2,940 | 2,655 | 2,378 | 2,174 | -9% | -69% |
| Oxford West Telephone Co. | 6,373 | 6,011 | 5,709 | 5,438 | 5,228 | 4,934 | 4,472 | 3,975 | 3,629 | 3,146 | 2,823 | 2,602 | -8% | -59% |
| Oxford Telephone Co. | 5,595 | 5,277 | 5,032 | 4,810 | 4,527 | 4,183 | 3,710 | 3,227 | 2,985 | 2,546 | 2,246 | 2,051 | -9% | -63% |
| Total Retail Lines | 528,633 | 484,440 | 437,927 | 403,887 | 374,755 | 345,780 | 311,649 | 266,346 | 242,161 | 219,699 | 191,282 | 174,952 | -9% | -67% |
*Consolidated Communications of Maine Company includes the former Consolidated ILECs: China Telephone, Northland Telephone Co., Community Service Telephone Co., Sidney Telephone Co., Maine Telephone Co., and Standish Telephone Co.
Source: Data compiled by staff from Annual Reports to the Commission
POLR Only Access Lines
The following table provides data on the number of POLR only residential and business phone lines. POLR service is the ability to receive a flat-rate service with voice-grade access to the public switched telephone network within a basic local calling area.
| POLR | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Change 2018-2019 | Change 2014-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Communications of Maine Company* | 5,354 | 3,222 | 3,421 | 3,086 | 2,730 | 2,457 | -10% | -54% |
| Consolidated Communications | 24,488 | 21,001 | 16,789 | 11,438 | 8,829 | 7,045 | -20% | -71% |
| UniTel Co. | 428 | 358 | 320 | 324 | 251 | 224 | -11% | -48% |
| Union River | 1,048 | 1,062 | 1,070 | 1,072 | 1,064 | 1,084 | 2% | 3% |
| Cobboseecontee Tel & Tel Co. | 77 | 67 | 55 | 50 | 44 | 43 | -2% | -44% |
| Hampden Telephone Co. | 314 | 274 | 232 | 199 | 183 | 174 | -5% | -45% |
| Hartland & St. Albans Telephone Co. | 441 | 345 | 291 | 240 | 251 | 233 | -7% | -47% |
| Island Telephone Co. | 209 | 199 | 193 | 181 | 164 | 162 | -1% | -22% |
| Somerset Telephone Co. | 1,586 | 1,378 | 1,242 | 1,119 | 999 | 1,050 | 5% | -34% |
| Warren Telephone Co. | 184 | 165 | 131 | 118 | 99 | 85 | -14% | -54% |
| West Penobscot Telephone Co. | 282 | 246 | 205 | 174 | 182 | 181 | -1% | -36% |
| Lincolnville Networks | 154 | 145 | 175 | 151 | 145 | 126 | -13% | -18% |
| Tidewater Telecom | 1,070 | 919 | 826 | 736 | 693 | 639 | -8% | -40% |
| Mid-Maine Communications | 1,343 | 1,165 | 958 | 830 | 712 | 278 | -61% | -79% |
| Pine Tree Tel & Tel Co. | 1,802 | 1,578 | 1,390 | 1,243 | 1,104 | 553 | -50% | -69% |
| Saco River Tel. & Tel Co. | 1,723 | 1,519 | 1,364 | 1,205 | 1,075 | 557 | -48% | -68% |
| Oxford West Telephone Co. | 4,348 | 3,856 | 3,552 | 3,047 | 2,740 | 2,517 | -8% | -42% |
| Oxford Telephone Co. | 3,666 | 3,201 | 2,956 | 2,526 | 2,226 | 2,033 | -9% | -45% |
| Total POLR Lines | 48,517 | 40,700 | 35,170 | 27,739 | 23,491 | 19,441 | -17% | -60% |
*Consolidated Communications of Maine Company includes the former Consolidated ILECs: China Telephone, Northland Telephone Co., Community Service Telephone Co., Sidney Telephone Co., Maine Telephone Co., and Standish Telephone Co.
Source: Data compiled by staff from Annual Reports to the Commission