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Vote on Fire Island phone service Thursday [telecom]

Vote on Fire Island phone service Thursday Updated: May 15, 2013 10:25 PM By CANDICE RUUD snipped-for-privacy@newsday.com

A plan to eliminate landline phone service in western Fire Island is scheduled to be voted on by the state Public Service Commission Thursday amid concern it could leave people on the barrier island unable to make calls if a storm knocks out electrical power.

In its application, Verizon is proposing to amend its tariff, so the company could abandon copper wire in favor of a wireless alternative, if it demonstrates that "a substantial portion of its facilities in the area is destroyed, rendered unusable or beyond reasonable repair."

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Bill Horne
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scheduled to be voted on by the state Public Service Commission Thursday amid concern it could leave people on the barrier island unable to make calls if a storm knocks out electrical power.

CBS News New York reported on July 9th that Verizon Communications is using the barrier island as a test case in eliminating landline telephones. (It also seeks to do this in storm-ravaged Mantoloking, N.J.; see separate thread.) The underground copper wiring was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Instead of costly replacement, Verizon is using Fire Island as test case, offering all

300 permanent residents and dozens of businesses a wireless alternative it calls Voice Link.

Residents are not pleased. Businesses say it's hard to verify credit cards and send faxes. But Verizon says not many would use traditional landlines if they were rebuilt.

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