Few Dial In for Public Hearing on Verizon Complaints
 Assistant Director Benedict Dobbs, left, and Telecommunications Commissioner Geoffrey G. Why at Tuesday's public hearing. Top: Charles Flynn of Egremont gives testimony to the panel of Deputy General Counsel Kajal Chattopadhyay, left,Dobbs, Why and hearing officer Kalun Lee.  Flynn, left, speaks with Why after his testimony. |
About a half-dozen or so people testified at the Department of Telecommunications and Cable hearing, offering a litany of noisy lines and missing dial tones, said newly appointed Commissioner Geoffrey G. Why. Among them were Hancock Selectmen Chairman Sherman Derby and Christopher J. Bouchard, highway superintendent and Fire Department captain in Otis.
"They articulated a concern for emergency services in their towns," said Why. "Many of their population are elderly and don't drive."
Residents of Hancock, New Ashford and South Williamstown have frequently complained about land line issues and expressed concerns over the quality of Emergency-911 calls. Town officials have blamed the problems on older copper-wire lines that become unreliable when it rains and the wiring gets wet. Cellular coverage in many hilltowns is incomplete, leaving residents dependent on land lines in an emergency.
A number of Western Massachusetts towns, including Hancock and Williamstown, submitted letters of support for a regional investigation of Verizon's quality of service earlier this year. Why, who was the department's general counsel for several years until being appointed commmissioner on June 17, said 56 petitions from towns, organizations, individuals, coalitions, the area's two broadband connect groups and the state attorney general's office supporting an investigation into Verizon were received. A 57th submission, from Verizon, said it was not necessary.
The department moved forward with the query, scheduling four public hearings to take testimony from residents affected by communications lapses. The fourth and final hearing is set for tonight, July 1, at Westfield College's Scanlon Hall from 6 to 9 p.m.
Phone service in South Egremont is "relatively unreliable," Charles Flynn, chairman of the South Berkshire Technology Committee. He said service in his own home has caused emotional pain, describing how his two sons in the military, one currently in Iraq, had difficulty connecting with their mother, who has trouble hearing.
 Commissioner Geoffrey Why
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During a break in the testimony, Verizon spokesman Philip Santoro stressed that Western Mass. was an important region to Verizon, noting the hundreds of millions spent over the past few years in expanding and upgrading broadband availability to 24 towns, some of which had had no broadband capability.
"We don't think this is indicative of a servicewide problem," said Santoro, since the complaints received so far by the state add up to just 2/100th of a percent of the telecommunications giant's customers here.
Verizon MA was not aware of many of individual problems, he said, "but when they bring it to our attention we can do something about it."
Though the turnout was low, Why said the information gleaned here will be added to the written comments and testimony at the other three hearings. The Department of Telecommunications and Cable will accept written comments until July 10. After that, the state will review the testimony and determine what the next step will be, the commissioner said.
"We encourage anyone having a problem with their telephone to tell us about it," he said. "We're hear to listen and find out what's going on."
Submit written comments to Catrice C. Williams, Secretary of DTC, Two South Station, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02110 by July 10, 2009.
