West Virginia OKs Verizon/Frontier but Demands Improved Copper Service
The West Virginia Public Service Commission signed off on Verizon's acquisition of Frontier Communications on the condition that Verizon set aside at least $60 million to improve copper service for plain old telephone service (POTS) subscribers. In an order Friday,…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
the PSC said Verizon had committed to hiring 25 additional full-time technicians in West Virginia before the end of 2026, and it will remain the carrier of last resort, but there were questions about whether the joint stipulation would assure the provision of adequate and reliable service. That stipulation addresses broadband but not copper service, where service failures "remain pervasive." The commission said Verizon must agree to focus on improved POTS service using copper or alternative methods and to back up that commitment by establishing an escrow fund for upgrading, maintaining and replacing the state's copper network.