Sep. 28--The head of Verizon's largest union in Massachusetts thinks it may be only a matter of time before the giant telecom company hangs up on its old copper-wire phone business here.

Myles Calvey, business manager at the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers, Local 2222, said recent Verizon cutbacks and comments by Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg signal a possible sale of Verizon's old copper land-line business in Massachusetts, similar to the recent sale of Verizon's units in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

"I think we're on pace to be sold," said Calvey.

He said the copper land-line sector is a "dying business" and that Verizon seems to be putting much more emphasis on its fiber-optics and wireless phone and Internet services.

A spokesman for Verizon denied Calvey's speculation about a sale, saying: "We have no such plans."

He emphasized that recent sales of buildings and closures of some centers were driven by long-publicized consolidation plans.

The company is planning job reductions here and elsewhere, but he said they were part of routine consolidation.

Fedor Smith, president of Boston's Atlantic-ACM, a consulting firm that's done work with Verizon, said he doubts the company would sell off its older copper-line business in Massachusetts.

He noted that the copper-line business is still tied to lucrative Internet, business and other product lines in more densely populated Massachusetts.

Verizon's Seidenberg caused a stir recently by his enthusiastic endorsement of a fiber-optics and wireless future. His remarks were interpreted by some to indicate Verizon doesn't see copper lines, which used to be the backbone of all phone companies' business, as part of the future.

The IBEW and Communications Workers of America, which represent about 10,000 workers in Massachusetts, have been so alarmed by Verizon's direction that they're planning a "huge" rally Thursday in Boston to protest Verizon policies.

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