Cincinnati Bell 2008 Annual Report Download - page 103

Part I
Item 1. Business
General
Cincinnati Bell Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries (the “Company”) is a full-service regional provider of
data and voice communications services and equipment over wireline and wireless networks. The Company
provides telecommunications service primarily on its owned local and wireless networks with a well-regarded
brand name and reputation for service. In addition, the Company provides business customers with efficient,
scalable office communications systems and complex information technology solutions, including data center
and managed services, telecommunications equipment, and information technology hardware. The Company
operates in three segments: Wireline, Wireless, and Technology Solutions.
The Company is an Ohio corporation, incorporated under the laws of Ohio in 1983. Its principal executive
offices are at 221 East Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (telephone number [phone] and website
address http://www.cincinnatibell.com). As soon as practicable after they have been electronically filed, the
Company makes available its reports on Form 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K (as well as all amendments to these reports),
proxy statement and other information, free of charge, on its website at the Investor Relations section.
The Company files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Exchange Act. These reports and other information
filed by the Company may be read and copied at the Public Reference Room of the SEC, 100 F Street N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. Information about the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy statements, and other
information about issuers, like the Company, which file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is
http://www.sec.gov.
Wireline
The Wireline segment provides local voice, data, long-distance, voice over internet protocol (“VoIP”), and
other services. Local voice services include local telephone service, switched access, information services such
as directory assistance, and value-added services such as caller identification, voicemail, call waiting, call return
and text messaging. Data services include Digital Subscriber Line (“DSL”), which provides high-speed data
transmission via the internet, dial-up internet access, dedicated network access, and Gigabit Ethernet (“Gig-E”)
and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (“ATM”) based data transport, which businesses principally utilize to
transport large amounts of data typically over a private network. Long distance services include long distance
voice, audio conferencing, VoIP services and new broadband services including private line and multi protocol
labeling switching (“MPLS”) which is a technology that enables a business customer to privately interconnect
voice and data services at its locations. Other services offered by the Wireline segment consist of security
monitoring services, public payphones, television over coaxial cable and fiber optical cable in limited areas,
DirecTV commissioning over its entire operating area, inside wire installation for business enterprises, billing,
clearinghouse and other ancillary services primarily for inter-exchange (long distance) carriers.
Cincinnati Bell Telephone Company LLC and Cincinnati Bell Extended Territories LLC
The Company provides wireline voice and data services to its historical operating territory in southwestern
Ohio, northern Kentucky and southeastern Indiana through the operations of Cincinnati Bell Telephone Company
LLC (“CBT”), an Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (“ILEC”). The Company’s core ILEC franchise covers
approximately 2,400 square miles in a 25-mile radius around Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has operated its
core ILEC franchise for 135 years.
The Company has expanded its voice and data services beyond its ILEC territory, particularly in Dayton and
Mason, Ohio, through a product suite offered to business and residential customers. Cincinnati Bell Extended
Territories LLC (“CBET”), a subsidiary of CBT, operates as a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (“CLEC”)
and provides voice and data services on either its own network or through purchasing unbundled network
elements (“UNE-L” or “loops”) from various incumbent local carriers. The ILEC and CLEC territories are linked
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Form 10-K