FairPoint Communications on Thursday met its deadline to tell the Vermont Public Service Board why its Certificate of Public Good in Vermont should not be revoked. Since cutting over service from the Verizon network to its own last February, FairPoint has been deluged by complaints from customers and regulators over its performance, especially in regards to customer service. Below is the letter filed with the PSB. Attached are the letter, the testimony of FairPoint President Peter Nixon and supporting documentation.
In sending the materials to Vermont Business Magazine, M. Beth Fastiggi, FairPoint's Manager of Corporate Communications in Vermont, wrote:
"The filing discusses FairPoint s actions to address the post cutover service issues as referenced in the Department of Public Services petition dated July 14, and updates the Public Service Board, the Department and other parties of FairPoint s plans to address remaining service issues.
"In the filing, FairPoint President Peter Nixon provides the status of resolution to the issues arising from the transition of systems from those of Verizon to FairPoint, the progress FairPoint has made to resolve those issues and specific plans to resolve the remaining problems on a going-forward basis.
"FairPoint has made significant changes and improvements in recent months which have had a direct positive improvement on our performance, and many of the key business processes have already returned to normalized levels. More important, for most of our customers, the customer service experience has returned to pre-cutover levels. In addition, FairPoint has made management changes that we believe will have a positive impact on our ability to return to pre-cutover levels and beyond."
September 17, 2009
Mrs. Susan M. Hudson, Clerk
Vermont Public Service Board
Drawer 20, 112 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05620-2701
Re: Docket No. 7540: Petition of Department of Public Service for an investigation and for
an Order Directing Telephone Operating Company of Vermont LLC d/b/a FairPoint
Communications to Show Cause why its Certificate of Public Good Should not be
Revoked
Dear Mrs. Hudson:
On behalf of Telephone Operating Company of Vermont LLC d/b/a FairPoint Communications
(collectively, "FairPoint"), we are filing one original and six copies of the prefiled testimony and
exhibit of Mr. Peter G. Nixon.
FairPoint is filing this testimony today as agreed at the pre-hearing conference in this docket held
on August 10, 2009. The testimony discusses FairPoint's actions to address the post-cutover
service issues referenced in the Department's petition dated July 14, 2009, and updates the
Board, Department and parties on FairPoint's plans to address remaining service issues.
FairPoint understands that this docket is proceeding as a Board investigation noticed under 30
V.S.A. § 209 and that further steps in this proceeding will be determined at the status conference
scheduled for September 30, 2009. The Department's petition requests as relief that the Board
issue a show-cause order to FairPoint to show why its Certificate of Public Good should not be
revoked. FairPoint opposes this request and understands that the present docket is not a
revocation proceeding under 30 V.S.A. § 231. FairPoint will work with the Board and parties to
define the scope of the Board investigation under Section 209 and to address the Board's and
parties' concerns regarding FairPoint's remaining post-cutover service issues.
By hand delivery, we are serving three copies of this filing on the DPS. By Federal Express, we
are serving one copy of this filing on each party of record and individuals on the service list. We
have today transmitted to the parties and individuals on the service list electronically copies of
this filing in searchable PDF format.
Very truly yours,
DOWNS RACHLIN MARTIN PLLC
Attorneys for FairPoint Communications
By: Nancy S. Malmquist
Enclosures
c: Distribution List
James H. Porter, III, Esq., Department of Public Service
Michael J. Morrissey, Esq.
Mr. Peter G. Nixon
Shirley J. Linn, Esq.
Mr. Jeffrey W. Allen
AttachmentSize
FairPoint Filing Letter 9-17-09.pdf136.04 KB
FairPoint Dkt 7540 Nixon PFT 9-17-09.pdf1.67 MB
FairPoint Customer Service Exhibit FP-PGN-1_001.pdf153.94 KB