Let's Commiserate About Verizon [telecom]

The Opinion Pages | LETTERS

To the Editor:

Re "On Hold With Verizon," by Delia Ephron (Op-Ed, Aug. 20):

When are we going to realize that telecommunications companies have gotten too big and arrogant, and institute mandated levels of service and insist that failure to perform means big fines and refunds for the customers? Oh, I know: Never.

It is the rare individual who cannot empathize with Ms. Ephron and her friends Deena and Marty, for whom the very thought of changing internet providers provokes meltdown anxiety. When AT&T mistakenly disconnected my internet because of a "clerical error" (canceling me instead of the customer who requested it), it took a whole week to restore service.

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Verizon's lousy treatment of its customers, both landline and wireless, has been extensively reported. There are a flood of articles documenting the problems. It's not just individuals, but entire communities cut off.

Could someone explain how treating customers lousy is a good business practice? Note that many of the customers aren't $20/month message rate POTS users, but rather $100 month wireless/DSL/national service subscribers. Further, a lot of customers who do want FIOS can't get it, and Vz won't explain why or when it will be available.

Further, all this negative publicity can't be attracting new customers to Verizon or encourage recommendations.

People need telephone and broadband service. If Vz won't provide it, people will go to competition, such as cable TV carriers or other wireless carriers.

So, regardless of government regulation, how does Verizon make money by shedding its customers?

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