Verizon We’re Calling You Out — Liar!

This is round three in the continuing battle of Verizon’s unannounced withdrawal from supplying POTS service. I say unannounced as Verizon has no filings on docket to the FCC in this regard. But that is in fact what they are doing.

But to give you some idea of just how underhanded they wish to mask this unannounced mandate consider the following –

“Verizon offers phone service that is superior to our competitors, most of whom are not required to answer to state regulatory commissions nearly to the degree as Verizon — if they do at all,” said Verizon spokeswoman Sharon Shaffer. “More importantly, customers who don’t like the service they’re getting — or the price they’re paying — can and do change providers.”

And…

Verizon is only required to make “reasonable efforts” to meet benchmarks under “normal circumstances,” such as good weather, argued Dulaney L. O’Roark III, Verizon’s vice president and general counsel in the Southeast, in a written response to Florida’s complaints. Florida regulators, he argued, should “take into account Verizon’s massive investment in [FiOS]” fiber optic services.

Customers, he wrote, will provide “ultimate penalty by choosing one of the many alternative providers if they are dissatisfied with Verizon’s performance.”

Ok so how is Verizon lying? Time for a peek behind the veil. First understand that what Verizon is calling the ‘Communications industry’ is a three legged stool — Wireline, Cellular and Cable. Reality however is that Cellular and Cable are not efficient competitors to wireline for a cheap basic service. That’s the first lie. It is a 3 card monte that Dulaney is playing.

The second is on how American wireline service is handled in this country. A company like Verizon owns what are called LATA’s (Local Access & Transport Area). The key is own. In those LATA’s no one else may provide wireline service & repair. And even if a customer decides to go with a CLEC, the repair is still dependent on Verizon. The CLEC is not permitted to open a comm can and repair Verizon’s equipment.

So Verizon your representatives are lying when it comes to a strictly wireline environment. You are the monopoly in any LATA you own. As to reference of alternative carriers, its a thin reed Verizon. The test — Can you find any alternative service provider to provide basic phone service for $32/mo? Good luck.

Bottom line, Verizon you’re lying.

I have one other observation Verizon. If POTS is not a viable business model for you why don’t you just get out of the business? Sell it off. But not funding Network Operations for POTS for the second year in the row is not proper service to your existing customer base.

Full TBO article.