The hearing will address landline maintenance issues in the more rural parts of South Jersey and the lack of fiber optics.
Months after being promised a public hearing with Verizon and state officials over claims of poor landline maintenance, South Jersey residents are still waiting.
According to state Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1), who is helping to arrange the meeting, the delay was due to the ongoing strike by Verizon workers over their contracts.
Van Drew has spoken with the BPU about scheduling the hearing and Van Drew explains that there was concern that the strikes would make a hearing difficult.
It is unclear how a federal announcement Friday indicating that Verizon and its unions reached a tentative agreement that should end the strike next week will affect the hearing.
"I've had an ongoing dialogue and I've spoken to the president of the BPU numerous times about it," Van Drew said. "We're not going to forget about it and we're not going to let it go away."
According to the BPU, board staff and Verizon representatives are planning the details of the public hearing.
The hearing will be between the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and Verizon over the lack of fiber optics in the more rural sections of South Jersey and the lack of maintenance for the existing copper landlines. With the hearing still not set, Cumberland County is using the time to collect additional complaints from residents about their Verizon service.
Cumberland County has been leading the charge by collecting complaints from South Jersey residents and representing 17 communities who have signed a petition asking for Verizon to address the landlines.
The following communities are represented on the petition:
- Atlantic County: Estell Manor and Weymouth Township
- Gloucester County: South Harrison Township
- Salem County: Alloway Township, Lower Alloways Creek, Mannington Township, Pilesgrove Township and Upper Pittsgrove Township
- Cumberland County: Commercial Township, Downe Township, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Maurice River Township, Millville, Upper Deerfield Township and Fairfield Township
- Burlington County: Washington Township
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"We have had an excessive number of complaints that indicate to us that there have been enough problems where the maintenance and service of the landlines is not taking place as it should -- that's our allegation," said Ted Baker, Cumberland County solicitor.
Due to the lack of fiber optics, rural residents are unable to receive internet except for slower DSL connections. The copper lines have also been failing due to lack of maintenance, making it difficult for residents to complete telephone calls, Baker added.
"You don't want them to be on the wrong side of the digital divide," Baker said.
The county has collected hundreds of complaints from South Jersey residents about their Verizon service and are asking for more -- using an online questionnaire.
According to Verizon, there is nothing to be fixed with South Jersey's landlines.
"As we've been saying all along, our network performance in South Jersey is consistently better than the BPU's standards," said Raymond McConville, Verizon spokesman. "We've invested over $100 million on our South Jersey network over the last two years to deliver the service and reliability our customers expect. Over the last couple of months, we've been meeting regularly with local leaders to hear their concerns and address whatever needs they may have."
Despite the delays, Van Drew promises that the hearing will occur -- possibly this spring or summer.
"We are absolutely going to set up a South Jersey hearing," Van Drew said.
To submit a complaint about Verizon and its landlines, visit www.co.cumberland.nj.us/legal.
Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.