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Dr. Ida Messana, a Queens internist specializing in geriatric medicine, started experiencing internet, fax and landline phone issues in her Forest Hills office last summer and noticed a concerning side effect.
Many of her elderly patients, who depend on phone calls and faxes, as opposed to emails and texts, stopped coming because they could not reach her.
“We lost dial tone on my fax line, so I couldn’t receive or send any faxes. Imagine my patients waiting for their CAT scans, X-rays, their reports of blood, all different kinds of things,“ she explained.
Turned out her fax machine was working, but the line was out. She also relied on the line for DSL internet service to her office.
While her connectivity problems were resolved five months later, Messana fears future service outages. A Verizon technician told Messana that her phone lines are copper, which the company phased out in favor of fiber optic wires.
Most telecommunications companies these days tout their high-speed fiber optic lines, which send light down thin filaments of glass, but copper wires are still in use for some households.
When those metal wires corrode without proper upkeep, New Yorkers who rely on them are left without service.
13 comments:
Can't they just get Granny an Obama Phone?
Verizon was supposed to wire NYC for fiber years ago. They got a slap on the wrist for failing to do so, and they still haven’t fulfilled their obligations. So I have to give my money to Spectrum for internet, which boils my blood.
When those metal wires corrode without proper upkeep, New Yorkers who rely on them are left without service.
Sums up the sheer stupidity!
Verizon cut her service. Has nothing to do with corrosion, more like with CORRUPTION!
The most important detail was left out of the story: whether or not immediately neighboring buildings have FiOS installed.
If it's just her building, it could be an issue with the landlord not giving Verizon access or permission to install fiber. Depending on the building layout, installation might be 'invasive' and require breaking through or attaching cabling to false ceilings and walls. The landlord might not be thrilled with the construction and risks involved.
Also unclear is why the doctor didn't switch to a competitor, such as Spectrum or RCN, and waited so long for Verizon.
The article also fails to mention any attempt by the journalist to contact Verizon for a comment.
Not trying to defend Verizon, I just think that some crucial details are missing.
The article posted on QC is not the complete article. Click on 'The City' in blue font. Shows complete article.
The article also fails to mention any attempt by the journalist to contact Verizon for a comment.
Did you READ the article?
Looks like theJournalist DID contact Verizon..
“Because fiber-optic cables are non-metallic, they’re immune to many environmental factors that cause copper cable to deteriorate,” company spokesperson Chris Serico told THE CITY.
@Anonymous #3
I did read the whole article and unless I missed it, Verizon never directly addressed the doctor's issue.
The quote you mentioned broadly addresses FiOS' superiority to copper lines, but does not explain why exactly the building in question is not getting wired for FiOS service (i.e. is it a landlord issue as I mentioned, is it an issue with running the fiber underground, maybe another utility company is doing underground work and Verizon must wait for them to finish, maybe corporate slowed funding for new fiber runs, etc.)
Wow who knew that THE CITY is written by Journalists? I thought they only hire the lefties. And nah, it's not biased reporting, it's not what they used to call yellow journalism. I would call it faded red journalism in honor of Fidel Castro not Ronnie Reagan.
“Because fiber-optic cables are non-metallic, they’re immune to many environmental factors that cause copper cable to deteriorate,” company spokesperson Chris Serico told THE CITY.
Absolute non sense. This joker is a spokesman for Verizon?
Still forcing paying customers to pay for crap Chris?
What is the voltage carried by fiber? Tell us.
You are an idiot.
Verizon also runs woke Yahoo. Garbage in, garbage out.
"Absolute non sense. This joker is a spokesman for Verizon?
Still forcing paying customers to pay for crap Chris?
What is the voltage carried by fiber? Tell us.
You are an idiot."
Why is it nonsense?
A Verizon technician told Messana that her phone lines are copper, which the company phased out in favor of fiber optic wires.
What's the point of having a landline if it's over fiber optic instead of copper? That defeats the whole purpose of landlines, and means they'll be useless if there's a blackout or power outage, the exact sort of emergency for which you need a landline backup.
Why is it nonsense?
Figure it out. Is easy.
What's the point of having a landline if it's over fiber optic instead of copper? That defeats the whole purpose of landlines, and means they'll be useless if there's a blackout or power outage, the exact sort of emergency for which you need a landline backup.
Spot on. Copper carries voltage, you can lose electricity and copper line phone still works. On the other hand FIOS scam Verizon started giving battery packs!!! for fiber backup in case of electrical outages. Now is the owner's responsibility to check if the battery needs to be changed. Having 911 service on this crap is like Russian roulette, not to mention installing Verizon crap boxes in the owner's house.
All for using useless Facecrap, Twatter and garbage Netflux crap.
The BBB crowd with Chief Davos Nazi Schwab forgets electricity does go out. Then their digital feudal system is also out. Chip them huh Klaus?
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