Vote on Fire Island phone service Thursday [telecom]

[Bill Horne]

Vote on Fire Island phone service Thursday
Updated: May 15, 2013 10:25 PM
By CANDICE RUUD candic...@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."

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/towns/vote-on-fire-island-phone-service-thursday-1.5272080

--
Bill Horne
Moderator

[HAncock4]

On Thursday, May 16, 2013 3:16:13 PM UTC-4, Bill Horne wrote:
> 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.

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.

for full article please see:
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/07/09/verizon-using-fire-island-to-test-getting-rid-of-landline-phones/