At Long Beach council meeting, Frontier promises to credit customers after service problems

Frontier Communications will provide credits to customers who experienced service disruptions following the firm’s acquisition of cable television and telephone assets from Verizon, an executive said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Melinda White, the company’s regional president in charge of the company’s operations in Califoia and other weste states, said employees will proactively apply the credits to customers’ bills. She also said that although the company has relied upon an offshore call center since taking over former Verizon assets on April 1, Frontier is putting Califoia-based customer service representatives on duty as they complete training programs.

White addressed the council after three council members — Al Austin, Suzie Price and Daryl Supeaw — asked for city staffers to report on City Hall’s interactions with the Califoia Public Utilities Commission and Frontier Communications in light of numerous reports of Verizon-tued-Frontier customers experiencing disruptions to their telephone and cable television service.

Although White relayed to the Long Beach council that fewer than 1 percent of new Frontier customers in Califoia experienced service disruptions after the switch, multiple council members said they and their staffers have been flooded with complaints from constituents.

“I have heard a steady chorus of complaints from residents,” Councilman Al Austin said.

Councilman Roberto Uranga said the Califoia Public Utilities Commission should conduct an investigation to determine who, if anyone, deserves to be blamed for service disruptions.

Assistant City Manager Tom Modica said commission staffers have provided assurance that they are looking into the matter, but he did not know the status of the CPUC’s review as of the time of Tuesday’s meeting.

Only three people showed up to speak on the subject during public comment. One man said it was “beyond belief” that Frontier is charging him $288 a month for services Verizon provided for $176 a month.

Another man said he has been left unsure as to whether Frontier will honor Verizon’s promises of promotional pricing and feels like a fool for having signed up for paperless billing while a Verizon customer, since he now has no records of his prior interactions with Verizon.

Frontier has previously advised customers dealing with service disruptions to send an email to [email protected].

The third speaker, Allison Gallagher, is a field representative for Assemblyman Patrick O’Doell, D-Long Beach. She said Frontier Communications representatives are expected to attend a Saturday town hall meeting scheduled for the benefit of Frontier customers who are experiencing problems.

Advertisement

Long Beach Technology and Iovation Department Director Brian Sastokas said a CPUC representative is also expected to attend the meeting.

The town hall is scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Expo Arts Center, 4321 Atlantic Ave.

For information or to RSVP for the meeting, contact O’Doell’s office by calling 562-429-0470 or sending an email to [email protected].