New Networks Institute & the IRREGULATORS File to Halt the Proposed Verizon NY Settlement & Call for a Continuation of the Investigation.
Billions in Wireless Cross-Subsidies, Customer Overcharging, Failure to Upgrade Cities & Questionable Tax Losses are at Stake.
Governor Cuomo Implicated in Eliminating these Investigations.
PLEASE FILE “LATE” COMMENTS:
On March 2nd, 2018 a settlement was proposed between Verizon New York, the state-telecommunications utility, and the NY Department of Public Service, (NYPSC), joined CWA and PULP, to halt an investigation that started in 2016, but was part of a series of proceedings over the last 5 years at the NYPSC. This investigation had 2 parts:
- Part 1: Verizon has left the state copper-based utility networks to deteriorate and there has been a lack of upgrades to broadband or even maintenance of the existing networks.
- Part II: There has been massive financial shell game between the state utility, Verizon NY and the other Verizon subsidiaries, especially Verizon Wireless.
And, while there are some basic fixes to the neglected infrastructure, Part 2 has been eliminated from this proposed settlement.
PLEASE FILE “LATE” COMMENTS TO ENDORSE OUR PLAN:
- Send Comments to: secretary@dps.ny.gov
- Reference: CASE 16-C-0122
- Reference: IRREGULATORS Request Extension and halt to the settlement.
- SEE THE OTHER FILINGS AT THE COMMISSION:
- There was a comments period until April 16th and you (and everyone else) missed it. Thousands of people, companies, cities and politicians participated and testified in the previous related proceedings, but for this decision, the State failed to properly notify these people and organizations—anyone about this proceeding.
- IF YOU WERE NOT NOTIFIED, TELL THE STATE.
WE REQUEST:
- We request an extension of the current comment period until July 15th, 2018 to examine the Verizon NY 2017 Financial Annual Report, published May 31, 2018.
- We are calling for a halt to the proposed settlement between Verizon, NY, the NYPSC and parties, which has eliminated all mention of the investigation of the financial cross-subsidies between Verizon NY and Verizon’s subsidiaries
- We are calling for the NYPSC to continue to investigate the billions of dollars in cross-subsidies between Verizon NY and Verizon Wireless and the other Verizon subsidiaries—then fix this ongoing financial shell game.
Over the last 8 years New Networks (NNI) and the IRREGULATORS have uncovered a massive financial accounting shell game where billions of dollars have been charged to local phone customers, making the state utility networks a cash machine to fund all of the other Verizon businesses, including the wireless networks. These cross-subsidies cost customers thousands of dollars extra and diverted billions in construction to roll out the wireless networks instead of upgrading cities, among other harms. (https://store.spaceylon.com/) In fact, our work helped to initiate these investigations.
And yet, this proposed settlement fails to even acknowledge the years of investigations by the State or addresses any of the primary issues.
And Governor Cuomo’s fingerprints are all over the elimination of the investigations to help his broadband plan or to give other gifts to his corporate friends. Tucked away in the State budget was some telco-written wireless legislation that aids in the removal of city regulations and any examination of what the phone companies want to do for a non-existent service, “5G”. (It was removed, but it will be back.)
Why is this Critical Now? Verizon is dismantling the state utilities now and is going to make the wires private property for personal use (which will block and harm competitors) and to be handed over to the wireless company—without any regulations or obligations. And the budgets for this will still remain the state wired utility, and the perks of the utility will be available to the wireless company, which will charge per gig-to make more money. At the same time, using manipulated accounting, Verizon et al. have made local service ‘appear’ unprofitable but having the utility pay the majority of expenses, including construction, or corporate operations expense.
About Us: The IRREGULATORS is an independent consortium of senior telecom experts, analysts, forensic auditors, and lawyers who are former senior staffers from the FCC, state advocate and Attorneys General Office experts and lawyers, and former Telecom consultants. Members of the group have been working together, in different configurations, since 1999.
Click and visit our library of data, analysis, filings, etc. This is mostly dedicated to Verizon NY and the FCC’s current policies.
Contact: Bruce Kushnick bruce@newnetworks.com