Like PA, New Jersey Holding Hearing on Verizon Network Neglect Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey have similar experiences with Verizon. Both states threw millions in tax breaks and subsidies at the telco in exchange for Verizon's promise that it would wire the entire states with fiber. But when Verizon balked at its obligation, both states, inundated with Verizon campaign contributions, just pretended Verizon had done nothing wrong. Years later, with aging DSL and phone networks falling into disarray, a few politicians in both states are feebly trying to hold Verizon accountable.

Earlier this week, Pennsylvania said it was holding a hearing after being presented with photo evidence of Verizon's failure to maintain its fixed-line networks. Now the New Jersey state Board of Public Utilities says it's holding a meeting of its own to field public feedback on Verizon's network neglect. This belated effort to right decades of dysfunction and political telecom cronyism appears to be driven by New Jersey state Senator Jeff Van Drew: quote: “Municipalities in Cumberland and Atlantic counties have reported serious problems with landline telephone service that has proven unreliable and created major telecommunications issues for residents, business owners and emergency personnel,” Van Drew said. "The failure of Verizon to properly maintain its copper lines in this region of the state has led to telephone interference and, at times, completely inoperable landline and Internet service,” he said. “These problems are not only an inconvenience, they are causing public safety and quality-of-life issues and require action." Annoyed by the state's decision to let Verizon's obligations slide (not to mention a latter decision to Annoyed by the state's decision to let Verizon's obligations slide (not to mention a latter decision to kill consumer protections at Verizon's behest), 16 municipalities from four counties in South Jersey have been pushing the New Jersey BPU to prevent Verizon from abandoning its copper POTS and DSL customers in the state. And while it's great Pennsylvania and New Jersey want to suddenly hold Verizon accountable years later, it's likely too little, too late. While both states are still clinging to the hope they can get Verizon to upgrade to FiOS as promised, Verizon's long since moved on to focus the lion's share of its attention on wireless, its lobbyists long ago having gutted most of the state regulations requiring the telco give a damn.







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Most recommended from 30 comments



PoloDude

Premium Member

join:2006-03-29

Aiken, SC 9 recommendations PoloDude Premium Member Yawn again This is all bluster by these states. They will hold some noisy hearings. VZ will throw a pile of lawyers at them and pay off ( contribute to campaigns ) which will still be far cheaper than fixing and upgrading the network. Remember VZ wrote all of these contracts with all of the loop holes built in.

DaveDude

No Fear

join:1999-09-01

New Jersey 4 recommendations DaveDude Member awards They need to have a marble commercial telling how great they are. -sarc

TIGERON

join:2008-03-11

Boston, MA Motorola MG7550

4 recommendations TIGERON Member Sale coming soon.... As soon as Frontier completes the California, Florida, and Texas acquisitions at the end of March and takes time to digest this latest buy, Verizon is going to negotiate another sale. More than likely, the rest of the Verizon east coast territories including Pennsylvania are going to be sold off. Massachusetts and Rhode Island are either going to Fairpoint or Frontier. There's also discussion that those two companies may merge in 2017.



Don't forget CenturyLink. They are looking to sell off their data centers. AT&T could be negotiating a wireline sale to them too. Kushnick

join:2016-02-25

Lynbrook, NY 3 recommendations Kushnick Member Incorrect statement You mention......"appears to be driven by New Jersey state Senator Jeff Van Drew." While he may be the mouthpiece on this, the smear campaign is driven by the CWA union, which eternally pressures the company in hopes of getting a better contract deal. You speak about company lobbyists, which they are entitled to employ, but what about union lobbyists as well? ggultra2764

join:2007-09-13

Cambridge, NY 2 recommendations ggultra2764 Member Another of these situations? Come on, guys. Haven't you been privy to the signs that Verizon wants to kill any association it has with landlines?