At Least 8,500 Verizon Wireless Customers Booted Off the Network

Verizon has disconnected at least 8,500 largely rural wireless customers from the company's network, claiming that the roaming costs associated with these users make them unprofitable enough to serve. As we noted earlier this week, these are largely rural customers on partner carriers of Verizon's LTE in rural America program (LTEiRA), which provides smaller rural carriers spectrum and technology access in exchange for extending Verizon's cellular reach in these markets. To Verizon customers, there's no obvious difference between being on Verizon networks or these rural carrier partners.

Except, apparently, when these users consume a "significant" amount of data.

Stop the Cap has compiled an excellent report on the scope of Verizon's forced exodus, noting that around 20,000 lines belonging to around 8,500 users are being told they can no longer use the Verizon Wireless network. These users are being told they will lose access to the Verizon network on October 17 -- presumably because Verizon Wireless believes they're not profitable enough due to roaming costs.

"During a recent review of customer accounts, we discovered you are using a significant amount of data while roaming off the Verizon Wireless network," a letter being sent to these users states. "While we appreciate you choosing Verizon, after October 17, 2017, we will no longer offer service for the numbers listed above since your primary place of use is outside the Verizon service area."

The problem: many of these users tell outlets like Ars Technica that their usage isn't really particularly excessive. And Verizon refuses to clarify precisely what it determines as "significant" use. The decision has also put many law enforcement officials on their heels, since they suddenly can't connect to towers in certain areas. Verizon partners also say Verizon hyped this LTEiRA program, had partners build additional connectivity, sold users on the prospect of unlimited data, then just pulled the plug to the deteriment of everybody involved.

Verizon's being relatively murky about everything from the real motivation for the decision, to what can trigger you being booted from the network -- and how many users have been impacted nationwide.

“We’re providing advance notice to these customers so they have plenty of time to port their wireless number to another company before their Verizon Wireless service ends,” Verizon spokesperson Laura Meritt says. “We regularly review accounts with data use that primarily takes place outside of the Verizon network.”

The ultimate irony here is that Verizon has spent years justifying its refusal to upgrade or repair millions of DSL customers to FiOS -- because it claimed that wireless would be just as good as a fixed connection. Customers have long disputed this claim, and with many now being blocked from the Verizon Wireless network completely, the flaws in Verizon's argument have been laid bare.

The story breaks as the FCC, now run by former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai, has been contemplating weakening the standard definition of broadband by declaring wireless connectivity the rough equivalent of fixed-line connections. The goal: manipulate the data to imply there is no broadband competition problem -- letting Pai falsely justify his apathy toward doing anything about it. Under Pai's new proposal, these users would still technically have access to broadband.

While Verizon Wireless is booting 8,500 customers off the network in this latest push, users have been complaining about this for much of the year -- suggesting the actual volume of impacted users is much larger.