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Verizon, New Jersey: Aging DSL is Good Enough, Thanks

Last month we noted how some New Jersey residents have been complaining that Verizon never delivered the 45 Mbps to 100% of the population the company promised back in the 90's. Verizon (then Bell Atlantic) was given billions in tax deductions in exchange for fixed-line broadband the company never delivered. We saw something similar in Pennsylvania when Verizon wiggled their way out of similar obligations after netting huge tax reductions and subsidies.

Like in PA, New Jersey now appears poised to let Verizon off the hook; the state Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) pushing a stipulation agreement that would forget that Verizon ever made any such promises as the company effectively freezes FiOS expansion to focus on wireless. More than 1,000 comments have been filed in response to the stipulation, though people are noticing the support seems somewhat manufactured:

quote:
"You wrote about the Verizon/Department of Public Utilities settlement a week or so ago. I just started noticing a lot of form letters in support of this settlement on the 24th.

"If Google/Linkedin.com the names and email addresses of the people in support of this settlement you will find quite a few of the people are either direct employees of Verizon or have some connection to Verizon. Perhaps Verizon made up this form letter and sent it out to employees and contacts.

"Here are three examples - Example 1, Example 2, Example 3. I'm sure there are more, I think it is dirty for Verizon to misrepresent this issue to politicians by having employees voice support for this bad settlement."
Phil Dampier at Stop the Cap noticed the same phenomenon earlier this month, and actually contacted 150 of the e-mail addresses to follow up. The site found that many of the signers of the stipulation agreement had either given an incorrect e-mail (suggesting some astroturfing), or they didn't actually understand what they were signing:
quote:
Stop the Cap! did not receive a single reply from any person ready to articulate informed views about the terms of the settlement offer. They were simply asked to lend their names and e-mail addresses to Verizon’s campaign and had never seen the settlement proposal or heard much about it.
In short: get billions in taxpayer subsidies and tax cuts for broadband promises never delivered, throw money at state level government until they ignore it, then use astroturf to seal the deal with a coat of artificial support for consumers getting screwed. A fairly perfect example of what's wrong with American broadband.

Most recommended from 16 comments



cork1958
Cork
Premium Member
join:2000-02-26

8 recommendations

cork1958

Premium Member

Verizon and AT&T need to be disbanded, period!

and/or severely regulated!

Also, the idiots in power in those 2 states need to be ousted!

hello123454
Premium Member
join:2002-02-02
21845

2 recommendations

hello123454

Premium Member

Yet another case....

Once again we want to place all of the blame on Verizon. If Verizon was obligated to provide service and then didn't why aren't we having a discussion about the NJBPU and other governments? If i'm in charge I'm taking back the tax deductions since they reneged on the agreement.

"throw money at state level government until they ignore it"....

Why are they ignoring it? Why doesn't anyone question that or write an article about that? This will keep happening as long as those in government don't hold anyone accountable.