Southern New Jersey lawmakers today expressed support for the state’s decision to conduct a review of Verizon’s performance in their region.
First District Democrats Sen. Jeff Van Drew, as well as Assembly members Nelson Albano and Matt Milam, backed a decision made Monday by the Board of Public Utilities to analyze why Verizon has not met a commitment to provide broadband service to the entire customer service area, in particular Cumberland County towns of Greenwich and Stow Creek.
The BPU commissioners said that as part of the review, they would convene a public hearing in Cumberland County.
“Our residents deserve access to the quality phone, cell and broadband service that the rest of the state already enjoys,” Van Drew said in a release today, “and state officials now recognize that thousands of residents in our area are not being served. I look forward to working with BPU officials as well as with Verizon to reach a resolution on this important matter.”
At a public meeting Feb. 14 in Greenwich, residents presented a litany of customer service complaints, the lawmakers said.
“We are pleased the recent public meeting held in Greenwich Township regarding telecommunications issues in western Cumberland County is spurring progress on the issue at the state level,” Milam said.
And Albano said, “The lack of consistent quality landline, cellular and broadband service in our area has caused enormous frustration for residents.”
The 1st District legislators said today they will work with the BPU and municipalities in western Cumberland County to organize an appropriate time and location for the hearing, and all three legislators expect to testify at the forum. In addition, Van Drew said today he plans to schedule a meeting with the president of Verizon New Jersey in advance of the hearing in an attempt to formulate a plan to correct the lack of basic quality in landline, cellular and broadband service in the area.
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