New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (center).
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman accused Verizon on Tuesday of depriving customers in the beach haven of Fire Island of essential services as part of an overarching business strategy to abandon the traditional copper telephone network in favor of wireless and fiber networks.
In a blistering 12-page statement filed with the New York Public Service Commission that came to light today, Schneiderman requested the commission replace Verizon with another carrier in areas where it is no longer willing to provide traditional or “wireline” service.
The controversy centers around recent moves by Verizon to replace traditional phone service with a wireless service it calls Voice Link. Verizon first began doing this in the western part of Fire Island and areas along the Jersey Shore after its network was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy. There have recently been reports that Verizon is also installing Voice Link in parts of the Catskills and in Manhattan.