FairPoint Communications 2004 Annual Report Download - page 11

 Our advanced digital switch and voicemail platforms allow us to offer enhanced services such as call waiting,
call forwarding and transferring, call hunting, three-way calling, automatic callback, call hold, caller name and number identification, voice
mail, teleconferencing, video conferencing, store-and-forward fax, follow-me numbers, Centrex services and direct inward dial.
 Many interexchange carriers provide long distance services to our rural local exchange carrier customers and
may elect to use our billing and collection services. Our rural local exchange carriers charge interexchange carriers a billing and collection fee
for each call record generated by the interexchange carrier's customer.
 Through our local telephone companies, we publish telephone directories in the majority of our locations. These
directories provide white page listings, yellow page listings and community information listings. These directories generate revenues and
operating cash flow from the sale of yellow page and related advertising to businesses. We contract with leading industry providers to assist
in the sale of advertising, compilation of information, as well as the production, publication and distribution of these directories.
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Our 26 rural local exchange carriers operate as the incumbent local exchange carrier in each of their respective markets. Our rural local
exchange carriers serve an average of approximately 13 access lines per square mile versus the non-rural carrier average of approximately
128 access lines per square mile. Approximately 79.3% of our access lines serve residential customers. Our business customers account
for approximately 20.7% of our access lines. Our business customers are predominantly in the agriculture, light manufacturing and service
industries.
The following chart identifies the number of access line equivalents in each of our 17 states as of December 31, 2004:
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
Maine 68,299
Florida 54,142
Washington 45,626
New York 44,335
Ohio 9,341
Virginia 8,216
Illinois 8,094
Vermont 7,055
Idaho 5,969
Kansas 6,089
Oklahoma 3,832
Colorado 3,132
Pennsylvania 3,060
Other States(1) 3,960
Total: 271,150
(1) Includes Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Georgia and Alabama.
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Our marketing approach emphasizes customer-oriented sales, marketing and service. We believe most communications companies
devote their resources and attention primarily toward customers in
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