NY regulators delay Verizon request to end landline guarantee

On May 16, the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) gave Verizon temporary approval to substitute its fixed wireless product – called Voice Link – for landline service on the eastern portion of storm-struck Fire Island. But the PSC delayed action on Verizon's more sweeping request to substitute Voice Link for wireline telephony anywhere Verizon determines its wireline facilities are “beyond reasonable repair,” or such substitution is warranted by geography, competition, or “other criteria.”

The PSC set a Nov. 1 deadline for a comprehensive report from Verizon on Voice Link's reliability and service, noting they plan to seek public comment on Verizon's request.

The New York Attorney General's office, the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the Public Utility Law Project of New York, and Fire Island residents and businesses all raised serious concerns about the Verizon proposal.

CWA, which represents some 14,000 Verizon workers in New York, in a letter to the PSC chairman,  opposed Verizon's request, pointing out that the company sought much more than relief to one beach community. As the letter from CWA VP Chris Shelton said: “Playing on sympathy for the plight of customers whom it has left without service for more than six months, Verizon proposes to implement broad, generic rules that go to the core of its obligation to serve.”

CWA called on the PSC to open a full proceeding to re-examine Verizon’s amendment. Any changes should be considered in light of public safety, quality of service, obligation to serve and impact on other services – such as alarms – that depend on wired telephone. And, the union asks for a reasonable amount of time to research these problems.

CWA was joined by two prominent New York State politicians – Assistant Attorney General Keith Gordon and Brooklyn Assemblyman James F. Brennan – in its objections.

The NY AG’s office wrote to the PSC noting that “Changing from wireline to wireless service has great significance to hundreds of thousands of Verizon’s New York customers. Yet, as drafted, the proposal is not sufficiently developed to clearly outline when such a change would be warranted.” Gordon asked the PSC not to take formal action, but to “set a schedule for an in-depth review of the proposal.”

Assemblyman Brennan also wrote to the PSC asking whether Verizon’s proposed changes would allow and guarantee it “to provide adequate, efficient, proper, reliable, and sufficient service?” He said that the current timetable for approval was much too truncated and that “The Commission should take no action on this request until it has conducted a thorough and complete hearing on the issues.”

CWA Shelton letter to NY PSC (May 16, 2013)
 
NY AG letter to PSC (May 15, 2013)
 
Assemblyman Brennan letter to PSC (May 15, 2103)