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Verizon phone customers could see couple bucks off their monthly bill

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By RICHARD MULLINS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2009

TAMPA - Verizon telephone customers could see a few free dollars show up in their monthly phone bills soon as atonement for past breakdowns in phone service.

Verizon could pay $2 million in fines and rebates, adding up to between $2 and $3 per household, Verizon officials said, if regulators in Tallahassee approve a proposed deal during a Nov. 10 meeting.

"We think we have a settlement in principle, one that is fair to all parties involved, particularly customers," said spokesman Bob Elek.

The proposed settlement comes after what the state called "willful" lapses in basic telephone service dating back to 2007 as Verizon invested heavily to build its new fiber optic FiOS TV/Phone/Internet service. During that project, some customers of existing telephone service reported breakdowns and delays restoring service, some waiting days for repairs.

Many of the problems were reported by a Tampa Tribune ongoing investigation into problems at Verizon over quality, customer service and FiOS selling and billing practices.

State regulators also tallied complaints, and in May 2008, the state Attorney General, the AARP and the state Public Counsel's office proposed $6.5 million in fines against Verizon.

Verizon has since revamped many of its practices, replaced top managers in the area, and pledged new service quality standards to customers.

Under the proposed deal, Verizon would issue $1.75 million in credits to nearly a million residential phone customers within 90 days of an approved deal, and make a $250,000 payment to Florida's General Revenue Fund.

The $1.75 million will be divided evenly among customers who receive residential telephone service as of the date of a settlement – meaning no money would go to customers who left Verizon for other providers.

Verizon will make "no admission of liability or wrongdoing," under text of the proposed deal.

Reporter Richard Mullins can be reached at (813) 259-7919.

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