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Verizon Complaints Draw Council Concern

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Verizon officials say customer service is a top priority for the company.

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By RICHARD MULLINS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 2, 2008

TAMPA - Two members of Tampa's city council want Verizon Communications to answer questions about their cable TV customer service and sales methods in the city.

Council chairwoman Gwen Miller and chair pro-tem John Dingfelder say they want to delve into a number of customer complaints, with action by the city possibly beginning this week.

Verizon said Tuesday that it did not think city action is warranted because few official complaints have been registered with the city or county.

"We've experienced a lot of rapid growth in the market, and you expect some growing pains - but overall, from what we see daily, we are doing a good job. And we're continually seeking ways to improve," the company said in statement.

There is no guarantee any public meetings would occur, said Miller who was asked Tuesday about her interest in Verizon. But she wants to provide a venue for residents to air concerns, Miller said, and allow Verizon executives a chance to offer their thoughts.

"This is something we need to do quickly," she said. "I don't want to hear from anyone at Verizon that they're working on the problem. I want to hear that people are getting some satisfaction."

Chair May Act Thursday

Dingfelder said he could move on the issue at Thursday's city council meeting, possibly asking for public meetings with Verizon and some staff research into Verizon's franchise agreement with the city.

"That franchise does have language about customer service quality, and I want Verizon to come to the council and tell how they will improve things," Dingfelder said. "Then, I'd like us to revisit it again in six months to see how they've done."

Their interest comes after a report in The Tampa Tribune last week that prompted dozens of calls, e-mail messages and Internet posts with a range of complaints about Verizon. The story detailed customer frustration with billing problems and misunderstandings, and sales techniques.

Some consumers objected to Verizon's advertised $99 per month deal for bundled services that ended up costing some people more than $130 per month with the addition of equipment rentals and fees.

Verizon officials have stressed that customers' final bills depend on, among other things, how many cable TV boxes they rent and what TV package they choose.

The company's regional president, Suri Surinder, and other executives have said they are aware of the issues customers are having and are redoubling a focus on customer service, establishing new methods of deploying customer service teams. Surinder said he has made customer service a top priority since coming to the Tampa office late last year.

Franchise Awarded In 2006

Miller and Dingfelder's interest in Verizon comes after the city awarded the company a franchise for cable TV service in 2006. In part, it was granted to stir up healthy competition with the area's more established cable TV provider, Bright House Networks.

Dingfelder said he switched to Verizon at home recently for phone, Internet and cable TV service and has been a happy customer. He also said he thinks Verizon's entrance into the market has helped sharpen competition.

Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena said "from my perspective, as an individual customer, I'm very satisfied." She praised two of Verizon's decisions: first, to bury the majority of its communication lines, and, second, to keep the public access TV channels that show city council meetings in more accessible, lower-tier channel packages. She said she did not think public meetings regarding Verizon were necessary.

The city of Tampa does have some oversight of Verizon's cable TV offerings in the city, through its cable TV franchise. Whether Verizon faces further city scrutiny depends on the seven council members, a majority of whom must agree to a motion requesting company officials to appear.

The council theoretically has subpoena power to compel appearances in official investigations, said city attorney David Smith, but that power is almost never used. Rather, he said, most of the city's authority with regard to cable TV falls within its franchise agreements with cable providers, and the city typically acts as an advocate for consumers who have issues with cable providers.

Reporter Richard Mullins can be reached at (813) 259-7919 or rmullins@tampatrib.com.

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