Quality of Service Report to the DC City Council on Verizon’s Regulated Telephone Network

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This report has been compiled by Connect-DC, a partnership between the Communications Workers of America, Local 2336 and DC Jobs with Justice. Connect-DC is supported by the “Speed Matters” campaign of the International Communications Workers of America to raise national awareness about the important role of communications systems in the information age. The views represented in this report are those of the men and women who work on and service the network, and of Verizon consumers.

The Communications Workers of America represents the workers of Verizon in Washington DC. Our members not only provide telecommunication and information services to the city, we are also residents of DC. Our jobs are in DC. We pay taxes in DC. We consume and use the services of DC. We recognize that our interests and well being are tied to the interests and well being of this city. Our role as providers of telecommunication services gives us a unique insight into Verizon’s service quality.

DC Jobs with Justice is a coalition of more than 30 local labor unions, grassroots community organizations, student groups, and faith-based organizations. We represent DC residents from all areas of the city, ages, professions, and income levels. It is through this network that we have been able to reach Verizon customers and document their experiences first-hand.
Connect-DC has three primary goals, which have been endorsed by 80,000 members of the Metropolitan Central Labor Council endorse the goals of the Connect-DC coalition.

1. Build Fiber Optic Service (FiOS) in all parts of the city by the end of 2008.

2. Maintain quality phone and Internet service for all DC residents and businesses.

3. Employ DC residents in DC facilities to build FiOS and sustain existing infrastructure.

The quality of life and economic vitality in Washington DC depends on the quality of services the city provides to educate its children, develop jobs, medical services, safety and security, social services, economic development, entertainment, water, sewage, trash removal, transportation, electricity, and communications and information services. We rely on the Public Service Commission of DC to regulate essential services such as communications, gas and electricity to keep them affordable and ensure high quality.

This report concludes that there is sufficient evidence to believe that the regulated telecommunications network in the city has deteriorated to an unacceptable level. While opposing opinions will surely be expressed during the DC City Council Quality of Service Hearings, we believe that sufficient concerns have been raised by Verizon customers and employees to require the Council to take further steps to insure the interests of the city and its citizens.