So over the last few weeks, Verizon has been taking heat for its decision to kick thousands of customers off the company's network. Most of these customers are part of Verizon's LTE in rural America program (LTEiRA), which provides smaller rural carriers spectrum and technology access in exchange for extending Verizon's cellular reach in these markets. Short version: Verizon launched the program, promised these users unlimited data connection, then abruptly pulled the plug after it decided the economics didn't work.
And while that's Verizon's prerogative as a company accountable to its investors, the net result has been thousands of customers -- and some law enforcement officials -- who say the abrupt decision left them in a lurch.
Verizon's made the problem worse by being murky about how many customers have been impacted and why precisely they've been kicked off the network. In an e-mail to many of these customers, Verizon has insisted they're being booted off the network next month because of "substantial" data usage -- though how Verizon measures "substantial" is never defined.
"During a recent review of customer accounts, we discovered you are using a significant amount of data while roaming off the Verizon Wireless network," a letter being sent to these users states. "While we appreciate you choosing Verizon, after October 17, 2017, we will no longer offer service for the numbers listed above since your primary place of use is outside the Verizon service area."
Except Ars Technica has talked to numerous impacted users who say their monthly usage was just a few gigabytes per month:
quote:
Sarah Craighead Dedmon, editor of the Machias Valley News Observer in Machias, Maine, has been writing about the Verizon disconnections and was one of the unlucky recipients of a disconnection letter herself. Like the 8,500 other Verizon customers in 13 states, her service is scheduled to end on October 17. In total, those customers have 19,000 lines on Verizon."My family has three lines, and we had a 6GB plan," Dedmon, who lives in Machiasport, told Ars. "We frequently either bumped it or had to purchase 1GB extra for $15." Dedmon provided us with screenshots of her data usage that back this up.
Despite the growing annoyance at Verizon's decision, the company remains utterly mute on how they determined what constitutes "substantial" use, and refuses to provide any hard, meaningful network or financial data on how this decision came to be. At least one state however (
Montana) has managed to get Verizon to reverse the terminations after law enforcement officers there stated it impacted their ability to protect and serve the public.
Update: After mounting public pressure, Verizon sent us this statement saying they're giving some of these folks a little additional time to get off their network:
quote:
We recently notified approximately 8,500 Verizon customers that we would no longer offer service to them because our costs when they roam on other wireless networks exceeds the amount they pay us every month. Since that notification, we have become aware of a very small number of affected customers who may be using their personal phones in their roles as first responders and another small group who may not have another option for wireless service.
After listening to these folks, we are committed to resolving these issues in the best interest of the customers and their communities. We’re committed to ensuring first responders in these areas keep their Verizon service.
If you’ve received a letter in the past two weeks, we’re giving you more time to switch providers - you now have until December 1, 2017. If there is no alternative provider in your area, you can switch to the S (2 GB), M (4 GB), 5 GB single line or L (8 GB) Verizon plan but you must do so by December 1.
We will continue to regularly review the viability of accounts of customers who live outside of the Verizon network. Supporting these roaming customers can often be economically challenging, especially supporting those on plans with unlimited data or other high data plans. However, we are continuing to look for ways to support existing roaming customers with LTE service.
We’re making these changes so that your options with Verizon are clear, and that we’re there for those who need us. We have a long history of serving rural markets and care about you, your friends and families in these communities.
