Commission Against Verizon Maryland, Inc.
Stevensville, MD - CloseCall America today filed a formal complaint with the Maryland Public Service Commission
(PSC) against Verizon Maryland, Inc. The complaint charges that Verizon's refusal to resell -- or make available
directly to the customers of its competitors -- voice messaging and digital subscriber line (DSL) services, is "an
unreasonable and anti-consumer practice that is contrary to Maryland law and public policy."
In the complaint, CloseCall America "respectfully requests that the Commission act expediently to compel Verizon
to make voice messaging and loop-sharing DSL (service that allows customers to use one line for both voice and DSL)
available to its competitors on a wholesale basis or, in the alternative, direct Verizon to make these services
available directly to consumers on a stand-alone and separately-billed basis without any disruption and/or lost
functionality."
The complaint states that "Verizon has impermissibly tied their enhanced and local exchange services by refusing to
provide voice mail and DSL services" on lines over which its competitors provide telephone services to their customers.
"Moreover, Verizon punishes consumers who switch to competitive local exchange services by abruptly disconnecting
pre-existing voice messaging and DSL services. These anti-competitive practices are harmful to competitive entry and
contrary to consumer interests."
According to a recent survey by CloseCall America, 35 out of 305 customers requesting CloseCall local service ultimately
did not become CloseCall subscribers because Verizon would have responded by disconnecting their voice messaging services.
- Verizon's refusal to make voice messaging and DSL services available on a wholesale basis is calculated to chill local competition in Maryland.
- The Commission has sufficient legal authority and a statutory mandate to curtail Verizon's improper practice of tying voice messaging and DSL services to its local exchange service.
- The FCC and certain State Public Utility Commissions have determined that wholesale access to Verizon's voice messaging and loop-sharing DSL service serves the public interest. Specifically, the New York, Rhode Island and Vermont state commissions have ordered Verizon to provide wholesale access to voice messaging and such access is required by statute in Delaware.
Over the past 13 months, CloseCall America's President and CEO Tom Mazerski has sent three letters to the Maryland PSC outlining the barriers to entry that currently prevent consumers from switching local carriers and calling on the Commission to take three simple steps that would help to ensure true freedom of choice for local telephone service. These letters have gone unanswered.
"Because our concerns have not been addressed, we felt that filing a formal complaint against Verizon was a necessary step," Mazerski explained.
"We hope that this complaint will result in action that puts an end to these unfair and anti-competitive practices by Verizon and allows consumers to select the local service provider of their choice, without losing their voice mail and DSL service ."
About CloseCall America
CloseCall America, which began business in 1999, is a Maryland company with offices in Queen Anne’s County on the state’s Eastern Shore. CloseCall prides itself on its commitment to superior customer service, with all calls handled locally rather than “outsourced” to firms in other states or countries. CloseCall provides its customers local and long distance phone service, bundled packages, wireless service, BlackBerry service, high speed Internet, standard dial-up, and VoIP (broadband phone service). Additional information on CloseCall America can be found at its website: www.closecall.com.
For further information, including how to sign up, please contact CloseCall America at 1-877-81CLOSE (1-877-812-5673), or by email at customerservice@closecall.com.
