Following petitions, complaints and a public hearing where residents across South Jersey complained about their phone line and internet service, Verizon has submitted its plan to the state to remedy the situation.

Verizon submitted the letter to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on Sept. 19 -- mapping out its plan to install fiber optics in certain communities, install equipment to help with internet performance and invest in the copper phone line infrastructure that has drawn complaints from residents about their unreliability. Upset residents filed their complaints and were able to express them in person to New Jersey and Verizon officials at an Aug. 4 public hearing in an Estell Manor school building in Atlantic County.

"Verizon will continue to make proactive investments in South Jersey building on the more than $100 million we have invested in recent years alone and we will continue to work to provide the best customer experience in a highly competitive environment," the Verizon letter states.

The complaints come from 17 rural towns in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties. Cumberland County led the charge, collecting customer complaints and petitioning Verizon to install fiber optics in the rural towns or at least better maintain the existing copper lines.

Complaints include customers being stuck using dial-up internet, unreliable service and an inability to connect to the outside world through phone or internet.

State Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1) helped set up the public hearing in Estell Manor and has been in discussions with Verizon and the state.

"I want to be clear that this is important progress, but it is not enough to ensure appropriate service for our residents," Van Drew said. "Families in South Jersey deserve access to the 21st century technology that is afforded to people across the state and affects everything from education to business and the safety of our communities."

Comments and complaints filed at the hearing were taken into account by Verizon, according to its letter to the Board of Public Utilities. According to the letter, the company received 273 complaints and resolved all of them -- barring 27 complaints from non-Verizon customers and three complaints that did not include adequate information.

Prior to Verizon's letter to the BPU, the Division of Rate Counsel sent a letter to the board asking for Verizon's issues to be addressed. The Sept. 7 letter points to the testimony from the public hearing.

"Although Verizon claims that it has maintained its services metrics throughout the region, over 200 customers, residential, commercial and municipal appeared at the Aug. 4 public hearing to testify regarding the persistent lack of service and of Verizon's consistent disregard toward their service repair calls," states the letter from Division of Rate Counsel Director Stefanie Brand. "This is the state of daily living for these customers, and not an odd or sporadic post storm occurrence. The testimony demonstrates a disconnect between the information Verizon has provided to the board and the significant and persistent lack of service provided to Verizon customers throughout the 17 towns."

The first part of Verizon's plan is to bring fiber lines to approximately 900 households in the Lower Alloways Creek area through the Bona Fide Retail Request Program, which is one way for towns to apply for broadband services. The project began earlier this year and is expected to take nine months. Estell Manor and Weymouth are also in the Bona Fide Retail Request Program process.

The second part of Verizon's plan is to increase bandwidth in Estell Manor, Weymouth and Maurice River Township -- which should increase internet speeds. The installation of additional remote terminals will improve service for 450 households. Verizon is also looing at making similar improvements in 2000 households in Upper Pittsgrove, Downe, Commercial, Mannington, Pilesgrove and South Harrison townships.

The final part of Verizon's plan is to invest $300,000 into maintaining the copper landline infrastructure that had allegedly been neglected by the company. The replacing of cables is expected to take place by the end of this year in Estell Manor, Weymouth, Upper Pittsgrove, Pilesgrove, Upper Deerfield, Commercial and Hammonton.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.