Verizon is back in the news. New York City has been launching lawsuits and investigations into Verizon’s inability to provide the basic services they promised—and were well compensated to provide. On Monday news came out that some satisfaction would come to the city, after the Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced that Verizon had agreed to settle one of their many failed promises and help fix the aged copper telecommunications network.
In a big victory for New York consumers, the Communications Workers of America has reached a settlement with Verizon that will require the company to repair 54 central offices across the state, replace bad cable, defective equipment, faulty back-up batteries, and to take down 64,000 double telephone poles. The agreement also includes increased broadband buildout to major apartment buildings in New York City and more than 30,000 homes across the state.
It was only a couple of weeks ago that Verizon made it clear it would not be using any of the Republican tax break giveaway to upgrade and build out broadband services; so the fact that Verizon continues to be cheap with their integrity is not surprising. Let us be clear though, the CWA was a big part of creating this pressure point on the telecom giant.
In 2015, CWA, 20 allied organizations and 70 legislators filed a request for an investigation, providing substantial documentation of Verizon’s failure to maintain its copper network. Later in 2016, the PSC opened a formal proceeding with extensive discovery and evidence collection. CWA and Verizon agreed to a settlement, which has been endorsed by the PSC staff.
Verizon is now spinning this as proof of the great infrastructure work they do … when you threaten to sue and/or investigate their shady business operations.