GENERAL
Warwick Valley Telephone Company (the Company) was incorporated in New York on January 16,
1902 and is qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in New Jersey. The Companys
executive offices are located at 47 Main Street, Warwick, New York 10990 (Tel. No. 845-986-8080).
The Companys 10-K, 10-Qs, 8-Ks and amendments are available free of charge on the Companys
website HTTP://wvtc.com as soon as reasonably practical after filing with the Securities Exchange
Commission. (This web site address is for information only and is not intended to be an active
link or to incorporate any web site information into this document.)
The Company provides telephone service to customers (26,415 access lines as of December 31,
2005) in the contiguous towns of Warwick, Goshen and Wallkill, New York, and the townships of West
Milford and Vernon, New Jersey. The Companys service area is primarily rural and has an estimated
population of 50,000.
The dollar amounts in this Annual Report of the Company on Form 10-K are
presented in thousands, except for share and per share amounts.
BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Warwick Valley Telephone Companys segments are strategic business units that offer different
products and services and are managed as a telephone services segment on one-hand and online
services segment on the other. We evaluate the performance of the segments based upon factors such
as revenue growth, expense containment, market share and operating income.
Operating Segments
Telephone
The telephone segment provides landline telecommunications services including local, network
access, long distance, messaging and directory services. The telephone segment generated revenues
from external customers of $20,608, $20,765 and $21,950 in 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively. It
generated an operating loss of $(1,149) in 2005 and operating income of $1,687 and $3,845 in 2004
and 2003, respectively. The telephone segment had total assets after intercompany eliminations of
$57,721, $59,114 and $49,850 in 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively.
Services and Products
Local network services Local network services include traditional dial tone which
is primarily used to make or to receive voice, fax or analog modem calls from a residence or
business. The Companys local network services are regulated by the Federal Communication
Commission (FCC), New York State Public Service Commission (NYPSC) and New Jersey Board
of Public Utilities (NJBPU). Included under local network services are custom calling
services, such as Caller ID, Call Waiting, Voice Mail and other enhanced services. These
features allow users to display the number and/or name of callers, signal to the telephone
user that additional calls are coming in and send and receive voice messages. The sale of
telephone and other equipment does not constitute a material part of the Companys business
and is contained within local network services.
Network access services Network access services connect a customers telephone or
other equipment to the transmission facilities of other carriers that provide long distance
and other communications services.
Long distance services These services result from the transport of intraLATA
telecommunications traffic (traffic within the Companys Local Access and Transport Area) to
a destination that is outside of a local calling area. We also provide wire line interLATA
long distance (commonly known as traditional long distance service) to our customers.
Directory services Our directory service group publishes yellow and white page
directories and sells advertising in these directories.
Other services and sales These services relate to billing and collections provided
to other carriers, inside wire revenue, circuit revenue and reciprocal compensation.
The Company has installed advanced digital switching equipment in all of its exchanges and
fiber optic routes between central offices and to all neighboring telephone companies; it is
considering the construction of fiber optic routes in its Competitive Local Exchange Carrier
(CLEC) locations.
Within the telephone business unit, the Company has a wholly-owned subsidiary Warwick Valley
Long Distance, Inc. (WVLD). WVLD resells toll telephone services to the Companys subscribers
and has operated since 1993. WVLD operates in an extremely competitive marketplace with other
interexchange carriers. In spite of this competition, the Company provides toll service to over
50% of its local exchange customers. During 2005, the Company revised its long distance plans in
order to keep it competitive with the other interexchange carriers. As a result, WVLD increased
its subscriber base by 1,314 customers in 2005.
The Company began operating as a CLEC, in Middletown, New York in 1999, in Scotchtown, New
York in 2001 and Vernon, New Jersey in 2002. At the end of 2005, we had 1,743 CLEC customers, a
decrease of 4% from the 2004 level of 1,825. In addition, broadband services are provided through
the interconnection of the Companys fiber optic network with Data Communications Group, Inc.
(DataNet) and Northeast Optical Networks.
Online
The Warwick Online (Online) segment provides high speed and dial-up Internet services, help
desk operations, and Video over VDSL. The Online segment generated revenues from external
customers of $6,734, $6,913 and $6,699 and operating losses of $(1,798), $(573) and $(668) in 2005,
2004 and 2003, respectively. The Online segment had total assets after intercompany eliminations
of $10,508, $9,652 and $9,883 in 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively.
Services and Products
Internet/Video services UltraLink (high speed DSL) and dial-up Internet services
allow a customer access to the Internet. The Company also provides a digital TV (Video)
product and is preparing to offer telephone service using the Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP), which it expects to launch by the end of 2006.
During 2005 Online continued the successful marketing of UltraLink. At December 31, 2005
there were 6,347 UltraLink customers, an increase of 269 or 4% over 2004. Our DSL coverage (100%
availability) and penetration levels are among the best in the nation when compared to the regional
Bell companies and other independent telephone companies. Online ended the year with a total of
5,999 dial-up customers, which represents a reduction of 2,844 customers, compared to year-end
2004. This reduction arises largely from the continued customer migration from dial-up to
high-speed interconnections (DSL and cable modem). Lost customers are located primarily outside the
Companys service area, where Online is unable to provide UltraLink.
Onlines Video product, introduced in 2002, had 2,498 subscribers as of December 31, 2005, an
increase of 194 customers to the subscriber base in 2005. The acceptance of the Video product by
our customers is a very important component of the Companys overall strategic plan. It enables
the Company to bundle voice, Video and data, the Triple Play, to its customers. The Companys
Video product offers over 140 digital channels at competitive prices; in 2005, the Company engaged
in a study of new video technologies that would offer enhanced features such as High Definition
(HD) signals and Video on Demand (VOD) capabilities, in response to growing customer demands
for these features. The Company expects to begin offering these features by the end of 2006.
Internet related questions are answered by a locally staffed help desk. Help desk services
are marketed to other small telephone companies who are interested in reducing costs through
effective outsourcing. Additional products offered by Online include banner advertising, domain
name registration, web hosting and s network installation.
Other
The Company owns a 7.5% limited partnership interest in the Orange County Poughkeepsie
Limited Partnership (O-P). Verizon Wireless of the East, L.P. (Verizon) is the general partner
and the majority owner with an 85% interest. O-P provides wholesale cellular telephone service
throughout the Orange County-Poughkeepsie Metropolitan Service Area. Ongoing cash distributions
are made according to the needs of the business as determined by Verizon. Cash distributions from
O-P are used to fund expenditures in the Companys business segments as well as to pay portions of
the dividend on Common Shares to our shareholders.
The Company owned until October 2004 an 8.9% interest in DataNet. DataNet was formed in 2000
to build, market, and provide affordable, high speed, broadband fiber optic data communication
services throughout New York State. In October 2004, the Company sold 100% of its interest in
DataNet for $4,492. The Company received $3,603 in cash on the transaction date. The remainder of
the sales price, $889, was held in an escrow account to provide funds available to satisfy any
indemnification claim notices to DataNet subsequent to the transaction date until May 2005, at
which time that amount, plus interest, was remitted in full to the Company.
The Company owned until January 3, 2006 17% of Zefcom, LLC, d.b.a. Telispire, a consortium of
small telephone companies that resells the services of Sprint PCS under a private label. On
January 3, 2006 the Company sold its interest to a group of outside investors for $700 in cash.
The Company owns a 25% interest in the Empire State Independent Network, LLC (EsiNet).
EsiNet represents a consortium of 13 independent telephone companies located in the upstate New
York region whose intent is to build a fiber optic network that will facilitate the delivery of
voice, video and data services to customers throughout that region. EsiNet was formed in March
2004 and is expected to begin operations on a limited basis by the
end of 2006. In return
for its 25% interest, the Company committed to contribute a total of $950 in capital by April 1,
2005. As of December 31, 2004, the Company had contributed $713. On April 1, 2005 the Company
made the last required installment of $238 and fulfilled its capital funding obligation of $950. On
November 9, 2005, EsiNet closed a commitment with the Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative (RTFC)
with respect to an $6,750 10 year secured term credit facility at a variable rate of interest. The
loan is secured by all personal, tangible and intangible property of EsiNet, along with all rents,
income, revenue, profits and other benefits derived or received from these properties. The
proceeds are to be used mainly to finance a portion of the construction of its fiber optic network
throughout upstate New York.
In
March 2006, the Companys management conducted a review of EsiNets 2006 operating cash
flow budget. Based upon this review, and subsequent discussions with EsiNets management, it
became evident to the Company that EsiNet, while continuing its infrastructure build out in 2006,
was also projecting a significant short-term operating cash flow deficit of a magnitude that could
both jeopardize the construction timetable and potentially force EsiNet into insolvency and loan
default. EsiNets management has indicated to the Company that it intends to address this
situation by enacting cost cutting measures, redirecting a portion of the RFTC loan proceeds away
from the infrastructure build out towards operating expenses, and approaching certain vendors,
particularly those from whom it currently leases fiber routes, in order to restructure existing
agreements to defer costs to a future date and thus conserve cash. In addition, EsiNet is actively
seeking additional sources of equity financing from its existing partners and from outside sources.
However, EsiNet, at present, has no restructured agreements in place with vendors and has not
secured any commitments for additional equity financing, thus failing to provide the Company with
any reasonable assurance that it will generate sufficient cash flow to remain a viable going
concern in the near future. Accordingly, the Company has determined
that there exists as of
December 31, 2005, a permanent impairment of the entire amount of this investment ($705,
representing the original capital contribution of $950, less cumulative equity in losses of $245
as of December 31, 2005). Consequently, the entire amount of
this investment has been written-off
and is reflected in the Loss on write-down of investment in
the Consolidated Statement of Income for the year ended December 31, 2005. The
effects on net income and earnings per share at December 31, 2005 were $457 and $0.08 per share,
respectively
Major Customers
No customer accounted for more than 10% of our consolidated operating revenues in 2005, 2004,
and 2003.
COMPETITION
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the 1996 Act) created a nationwide structure in which
competition is allowed and encouraged between local exchange carriers, interexchange carriers,
competitive access providers, cable TV companies and other entities. The first markets of the
Company that were affected were those in New York and New Jersey in which regional toll service is
provided. Regional toll competition reduced the Companys revenues. The Company itself can
provide competitive local exchange telephone service, and has done so outside its franchised
territory.
The Company currently provides access to the national and international calling markets as
well as intrastate calling markets through all interested inter-exchange carriers, including WVLD.
Access to the remainder of the intrastate calling markets is provided by the Company as well as other exchange
carriers. WVLD, as an inter-exchange carrier, competes against all such other carriers, including
cellular telephone providers and Internet-based service providers.
The Companys territory is surrounded by the territories of Verizon Communications, Inc.,
Frontier A Citizens Communications Company and Sprint-United Telephone, all of which offer
residential and business telephone equipment. There and also several competitive telephone
companies located within a 30-mile radius of Warwick, New York. In the fourth quarter of 2004
Cablevision entered the Companys Warwick, New York market offering a bundle package of competing
voice, video and data services at a very low introductory price in effort to gain market share from
the Company.
The Company is currently competing for local service through access lines with Frontier A
Citizens Communications Company in the Middletown, New York area, as well as with Sprint-United
Telephone in the Vernon, New Jersey area. The Company is reviewing plans to provide limited service
in other surrounding areas in both New York and New Jersey. In addition, the Company is looking
into business arrangements with other regional telecommunications companies to gain access
to their transportation networks in order to expand the reach of the Companys product offerings.
There can be no assurances that the Company will implement any such additional plans, or that other
companies will not begin providing competitive local exchange telephone service in the Companys
franchise territory.
The present market environment requires that Online compete both on the basis of service and
price. There are numerous competitors throughout Onlines market area whose services are available
to customers. During 2005, UltraLink increased its market penetration level, increasing the
number of subscribers by 4%, while conversely the number of customers for Onlines dial-up product
decreased approximately 32% due to the migration of customers to high speed Internet provided
either by the Company itself or by the competition, the latter primarily outside of our service
territory. Whether customer and pricing levels can be maintained depends, in part, on the actions
of existing competitors, the possible entry into the market of new competitors, the rate of
technological change and the level of demand for voice, video and data services.
In addition, our Video product, which was launched in April 2002, is competing against
entrenched cable companies including Service Electric Company (SE) and Cablevision, and satellite
television companies such as Direct TV and Dish Network. In the current market environment, to
stay competitive, the Company must be able to offer a video product on par with the cable
companies, which includes such in demand features as high definition
signal and video on demand capability, and at a
competitive price. There can be no assurances that the Company will be able to deliver such
products profitably at a competitive price.
On November 10, 2003 the FCC issued an order requiring intermodal portability (wire line to
wireless) in the top one hundred Metropolitan Service Areas by November 23, 2004 where the
requesting wireless carriers coverage area overlaps that of the local exchange carrier. As a
result, the Company was required to provide intermodal Local Number Portability (LNP) by May 24,
2004. LNP assists a competitor in obtaining our customers because it permits customers to keep
their current telephone number, even when they switch their telephone service from the Company to
another carrier. As of the end of the year, LNP had not posed a significant competitive risk
within the Companys service territory.
REGULATION
The Companys New York telephone service operations are subject to the jurisdiction of the
NYPSC, and the Companys New Jersey telephone service operations to the jurisdiction of the NJBPU.
These two bodies have regulatory authority over the Companys local exchange operations with
respect to rates, facilities, services, reports, issuance of securities and other matters such as
corporate restructuring. As a result, the Companys ability to respond quickly to changing market
conditions or to implement a new business organization can be limited by the necessity of obtaining
regulatory reviews or responding to interrogatories which can slow down or even prevent the desired
transaction. Interstate toll and access services are subject to the jurisdiction of the FCC. The
Company receives reimbursement from carriers in the form of charges for providing carriers access
to and from the Companys local network. The Video business operates in accordance with guidelines
established by NYPSC, the NJBPU, and the FCC as well as the municipalities where the Company
provides services.
The 1996 Act opened local telecommunications markets to competition, preempting state and
local laws to the extent that they prevented competitive entry into a market. The 1996 Act allows
states to retain the authority to preserve universal service, protect public safety and welfare,
ensure quality of service, protect consumers and mediate and arbitrate disputes involving
interconnection agreements between carriers. The 1996 Act generally requires local carriers to
interconnect with other carriers, unbundle their services at wholesale rates, permit resale of
their services, enable collocation of equipment, provide LNP and dialing parity, provide access to
poles, ducts, conduits and rights-ofway, and complete calls originating by competing carriers
under termination agreements.
In 2003 the FCC issued an order which essentially kept in place the 1996 Act regulatory regime
with respect to Unbundled Network Elements Platform (UNEP) competition, allowed authority for the
states to implement UNEP competition and pricing and eliminated a previous requirement that ILECs
share their high-speed lines with competitors. Although a Federal court reversed some parts of the
FCCs order, including the delegation to the states to implement UNEP competition and pricing, the
line sharing provisions of the order were upheld. On February 4, 2005, the FCC released permanent
rules governing UNEPs. Although it is expected that portions of these new rules will be appealed,
the Company cannot predict the impact of any appeal. However the Company believes that there will
be minimal effect on its ILEC operations because the FCCs impairment thresholds are at a level
beyond the Companys demographics and it does not currently have UNEP competition in its markets.
Pursuant to FCC requirements, the Company was once obligated to make contributions to a
long-term support fund of the National Exchange Carrier Association. On January 1, 1998, a new
funding mechanism went into effect, pursuant to which all carriers contribute to a Universal
Service Fund (the USF) established by the FCC to cover high-cost areas, low-income customers,
schools, libraries and rural health care providers. The Companys obligation to this fund was $298
and $229 in 2005 and 2004, respectively. Periodic cost studies conducted by the Company and filed
with Universal Service Administration Company (USAC) determine the amount of annual contributions
made by the Company to the USF. Management, based upon recent cost studies, does not currently
expect that the amount contributed by the Company to the USF will change significantly in upcoming
periods.
The FCC issued a press release in February 2005 announcing additional requirements for the
designation of competitive Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETC) for receipt of high-cost
support. In its corresponding order, released on March 17, 2005, the FCC adopted additional
mandatory requirements for ETC designation in cases where it has jurisdiction. In that order the
FCC encouraged states that have jurisdiction to designate ETCs to adopt similar requirements. The
FCC is considering an overall rulemaking regarding USF support which will be dealt with sometime in
the upcoming year. The Commission will consider as part of that rulemaking revisions to the
methodology by which contributions to the USF are determined.
Also as of January 1, 1998, the Company began receiving substantial funds from USAC. As a
result of the FCC order establishing the USF, all local exchange carriers were required to reduce
access charges billed to toll carriers. To offset this revenue reduction, the high cost portion of
the USF is provided by payments monthly to carriers with the characteristics set forth in the
order. The Company has those characteristics and received $3,293 and $2,093 in 2005 and 2004,
respectively. The USF is under pressure as ILECs lose access lines and competitors seek to receive
monies from the USF. The rules regarding the eligibility of competitors to receive funds from the
USF are expected to be clarified by the Federal State Joint Board on
Universal Service in 2006.
The result may increase pressure on the USF, while changes in the funding and/or payout rules of
USF might further reduce the Companys subsidized revenues. In addition, in June 2005, the FCC
launched a broad inquiry into the management, administration and oversight of the USF. The stated
goals of this inquiry are to improve the operation of the program for its beneficiaries and
contributors and to enhance program integrity.
The advent of VoIP services being provided by cable television and other companies has
heightened the need for Federal and State regulators to determine whether VoIP is subject to the
same regulatory and financial constraints as wire line telephone service. On November 9, 2004, the
FCC issued an order in response to a petition from Vonage declaring that Vonage-style VoIP services were exempt from state
telecommunications regulations. The FCC order applies to all VoIP offerings provided over
broadband services. However, this order did not clarify whether or under what terms VoIP traffic
may be subject to intercarrier compensation requirements; whether VoIP was subject to state tax or
commercial business regulations; or whether VoIP providers had to comply with obligations related
to 911 emergency calls, the USF and the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act
(CALEA). The FCC is addressing these issues through its IP-Enabled Services Proceedings, which
opened in February 2004. On June 3, 2005, the FCC issued an order establishing rules requiring
VoIP service providers to incorporate 911 emergency call capabilities for their customers as a
standard feature of their services, rather than an optional enhancement. On September 23, 2005,
the FCC required interconnected VoIP and broadband internet access service providers to comply with
CALEA by mid-2007. Both of these 2005 orders have been appealed.
The FCC has decisions pending regarding the USF and inter-carrier compensation issues. The
sustainability of the USF and the possible requirement that VoIP providers participate in funding
rural carriers will affect and influence decisions to invest in new facilities. The same
considerations apply to the continuation of inter-carrier compensation, or access charges, which is
another element in the financial health of rural telephone companies. It was expected that the FCC
would address issues involving inter-carrier compensation, USF and internet telephony in 2005. On
February 10, 2005, the FCC adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) addressing
inter-carrier compensation. Proposed inter-carrier compensation changes, such as bill and keep
(under which switched access charges and reciprocal compensation would be reduced or eliminated),
could reduce the Companys access revenues.
In the Companys two New Jersey exchanges, intrastate toll revenues are retained by toll
carriers, of which the Company is one. The associated access charges are retained by the Company.
Revenues resulting from traffic between the Company, Verizon and Sprint are adjusted by charges
payable to each company for terminating traffic.
In addition to charging for access to and from the Companys local network, the Company bills
and collects charges for most interstate and intrastate toll messages carried on its facilities.
Interstate billing and collection services provided by the Company are not regulated. They are
provided under contract by the Company. Intrastate billing and collection remain partly regulated
in New York and fully regulated in New Jersey. The regulated services are provided under tariff.
Some carriers provide their own billing and collection services.
On June 29, 2005, the NYPSC issued an Order Instituting Proceeding and Inviting Comments in
its Proceeding on Motion of the Commission on Issues Related to the Transition to Intermodal
Competition in the Provision of Telephone Services (Comp III). Comp III seeks to address the
state of competition, the impact competition is having on consumers and providers, and how these
changes will, or should, impact the New York regulatory model. On August 15, 2005 the New York
State Telephone Association (the NYSTA) on behalf of the Company and other New York State ILECs,
filed its comments in regards to Comp III with the NYPSC. In making its case, the NYSTA asserted
that, primarily driven by new technologies like VoIP and digital cable television voice services,
intermodal competition has within a relatively short period of time created strong competitive
alternatives to existing wireless and wire line services, and that ILECs need relief in the areas
of consumer protection, mergers, sales and acquisitions, service quality reporting, complaint
handling and flexible pricing.
The Company has filed a petition with the NYPSC seeking approval to reorganize its corporate
structure in order to create a holding company that would separate its regulated local exchange
operations from its deregulated operations. Under this reorganization plan, corporate management
and administrative functions would remain at Warwick Valley Telephone Company, proposed to be
renamed WVT Communications Inc., which would become the unregulated holding company of a regulated
local exchange subsidiary (proposed to be named Warwick Valley Telephone Company) and other,
unregulated subsidiaries. Before the Company may complete this proposed reorganization plan, it
must first obtain the approval of the NYPSC, the NJBPU and its shareholders. The Company is
actively pursuing the resolution of this petition before the two public service commissions.
Although O-P is an important component of the Companys revenues and value, the Company
continues to believe that the Company is primarily engaged in businesses other than investing,
reinvesting, owning, holding or trading in securities and is therefore not required to register as
an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. However, changes in circumstances,
for example in the valuations of its assets and businesses, including O-P, or its effectiveness in
developing new services and businesses or maintaining existing activities, could result in the
possibility that the Company might need to restructure its assets or activities in order to remain
in compliance with the Investment Company Act of 1940.
IMPACT OF INFLATION
Although inflation has slowed in recent years, it is still a factor in our economy and the
Company continues to seek ways to mitigate its impact. To the extent permitted by competition or
regulation, the Company passes increased costs on to its customers by increasing sales prices over
time.
EMPLOYEES
As of March 6, 2006 the Company had 104 full-time and 24 part-time employees, including 89
non-management employees. 77 (66 full-time and 11 part-time) employees are represented by Local 503
of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). The Company negotiated a new five
year agreement with its union members on May 1, 2003. Key provisions of the new contract were:
annual wage increases of 3.0% beginning May 1, 2003 and increasing to 3.5% as of May 1, 2007; the
capping of pension benefits; and increasing the Companys 401(k) match to 9% of gross wages for all
employees hired prior to May 1, 2003.
CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this Form 10-K, including, without limitation, statements
containing the words believes, anticipates, intends, expects and words of similar import,
constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company or
industry results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others the
following: general economic and business conditions, both nationally and in the geographic regions
in which the Company operates; industry capacity; demographic changes; existing governmental
regulations and changes in or the failure to comply with, governmental regulations; legislative
proposals relating to the businesses in which the Company operates; competition; or the loss of any
significant ability to attract and retain qualified personnel. Given these uncertainties, current
and prospective investors should be cautioned in their reliance on such forward-looking statements.
The Company disclaims any obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce the
results of any revision to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future
events or developments.
Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
RISK FACTORS
The Company provides services to customers over access lines. If access lines decline, operating
results may be adversely affected.
The business generates revenues by delivering voice, video and data services over access
lines. The Company has and continues to experience access line losses due to competition from
wireless and broadband service providers. The Company may continue to experience access line
losses in its primary markets. The Companys inability to retain access lines could adversely
affect the business and results of operations.
The Company is subject to competition that may adversely impact it.
As an ILEC, the Company historically had little competition in its markets. As a direct
result of deregulation, the Company now faces direct competition in its traditional ILEC
territories by CLEC operations that offer comparable voice, video and data products. The primary
competitor in our market has brand recognition and financial, personnel, marketing and other
resources that are significantly greater than ours. In addition, consolidations and strategic alliances presently occurring within the telecommunications
industry as well as ongoing technological innovation could affect our competitive position. The
Company cannot predict the number of competitors that will ultimately emerge, but increased
competition from existing and new entities could have an adverse effect on our business.
The Company may not be able to successfully integrate new technologies, respond effectively to
customer requirements or provide new services.
The communications industry is subject to rapid and significant changes in technology,
frequent new service offerings and a changing regulatory and economic environment. The Company
cannot predict the changes in our competitive position or profitability. Technological
developments may reduce the competitiveness of our networks and require significant expenditures of
capital to upgrade and or replace outdated technologies. In addition, new products and services
arising out of technological developments may reduce the attractiveness of our products and
services. If the Company fails to adapt successfully to technological changes or obsolescence or
fails to obtain access to important new technologies, the Company could lose existing customers and
fail to attract new customers. It is for this reason that the Company has developed Video
offerings and is planning to introduce a VoIP product. A key element to the Companys long-term
growth strategy is its ability to deliver new and enhanced products and services to its customers.
The successful delivery of new products and services is uncertain and dependent on many factors.
There is no guarantee that delivery of these services will generate the anticipated increase in
customers and revenues.
The Companys relationships with other communications companies are material to its operations.
The Company originates and terminates calls for long distance carriers and other interexchange
carriers over our network and for that service the Company receives payments for access charges.
These payments represent a significant portion of our revenues. Should these carriers go bankrupt
or experience substantial financial difficulties, our inability to collect access charges from them
could have a significant negative impact on our business and results of operations. The weak
performance of EsiNet could have a material effect on the profitability of the Companys Video
services. The need for increased capital improvements to upgrade or expand its facilities or a
decrease in demand for its services or continued competitive pressure
on its rates could cause O-Ps
profitability to decline and could thereby reduce the income that the Company derives from those
profits.
The Company is subject to significant regulations that could change in a manner that is adverse to
the Company interests, or could remain in effect in a fashion that impedes the Companys ability to
compete.
The Company operates in a heavily regulated industry. A significant portion of the Companys
revenues generally have been supported by regulations that provide for local and network access
revenues and USF funds. Laws and regulations applicable to the Company and its competitors have,
from time to time, been challenged in the courts, and could be changed by the FCC or state
regulators. Regulatory changes could adversely impact the rates the Company is permitted to charge
its customers, reduce payments to the Company from the USF or restrict the Companys ability to
effectively compete in the market place. Regulatory changes could also restrict the Companys
ability to secure new sources of capital and or grow through strategic acquisitions or alliances.
In addition, the failure of regulations to change in a manner that would establish an environment
in which the Company may compete on more even terms with its actual economic competitors could also
adversely affect the Companys profitability.
Although O-P is an important component of the Companys revenues and value, the Company
continues to believe that the Company is primarily engaged in businesses other than investing,
reinvesting, owning, holding or trading in securities and is therefore not required to register as
an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. However, changes in circumstances,
for example in the valuations of its assets and businesses, including O-P, or its effectiveness in
developing new services and businesses or maintaining existing activities, could result in the
possibility that the Company might need to restructure its assets or activities in order to remain in compliance with the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable and accurate financial
reports and prevent fraud. In addition, Section 404 under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 required
the Company to evaluate, and our independent registered public accounting firm to attest to, the
design and operating effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. If we cannot
provide reliable and accurate financial reports and prevent fraud, our business and operating
results could be harmed. In connection with the evaluation of its internal control over financial
reporting, the Company identified material weaknesses, and may discover in the future, areas of its
internal control that need improvement. Our efforts regarding internal controls are discussed in
detail in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2005 under Item 9A, Controls and Procedures. We
cannot be certain that any remedial measures we take will ensure that we design, implement, and
maintain adequate controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future or will be
sufficient to address and eliminate these material weaknesses. Remedying the material weaknesses
that have been identified, and any additional deficiencies, significant deficiencies or material
weaknesses that we or our independent registered public accounting firm may identify in the future,
could require us to incur additional costs, divert management resources or make other changes. We
have not yet remediated all the material weaknesses described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
for 2005 under Item 9A, Controls and Procedures. If we do not remedy these material weaknesses,
we will be required to report in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or in subsequent reports filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission that material weaknesses in our internal controls over
financial reporting continue to exist. Any delay or failure to design and implement new or improved
controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation or operation, could harm our
operating results, cause us to fail to meet our financial reporting obligations, or prevent us from
providing reliable and accurate financial reports or avoiding or detecting fraud. Disclosure of our
material weaknesses, any failure to remediate such material weaknesses in a timely fashion or
having or maintaining ineffective internal controls could cause investors to lose confidence in our
reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our
stock and our access to capital.
If the Company is unable to file its financial statements, it could be delisted by Nasdaq and
our stockholders could find it difficult to buy or sell our Common Share.
Our Common Shares currently trade on Nasdaq. Nasdaq requires companies to fulfill specific
requirements in order for their shares to continue to be listed, including the timely filing of
reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Consequently, our securities may be considered
for delisting if the Company fails to file annual and quarterly reports by the prescribed
deadlines, fails to remediate documented material weaknesses in a timely manner or fails to develop
and maintain effective controls and procedures. Any of the above could adversely affect Companys
stock price and subject the Company to sanctions by Nasdaq or the Securities and Exchange
Commission. If our Common Shares are not listed, it could be more difficult and expensive for
Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
There were no unresolved staff comments as of December 31, 2005 that had been made not less
than 180 days prior to this date.
Warwick Valley Telephone Co (WWVY) - Description of business
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Summary
Research Report
Description
Level 2 quotes
Charts
News
Profile
Balance Sheet
Income Statement
Cash Flow Statement
Insiders
SEC Filings
Analyst Recommendation
Earnings Report
Historical Prices
Recent Material Events
Key executives
Comments
Research Report
Description
Level 2 quotes
Charts
News
Profile
Balance Sheet
Income Statement
Cash Flow Statement
Insiders
SEC Filings
Analyst Recommendation
Earnings Report
Historical Prices
Recent Material Events
Key executives
Comments


