Rally Spotlights Verizon's Poor Track Record in D.C.

Putting a spotlight on Verizon's neglect of its Washington, D.C., customers, the Connect-DC Coalition – a project of CWA and Jobs with Justice – turned out several dozen activists Thursday morning for a demonstration in front of the city's Public Service Commission building.

The demonstrators marched and chanted for 90 minutes, handing out fliers to passers-by about Verizon's many service problems and job cuts in the District, and its failure to rollout high-speed Internet services in D.C. while the company focuses on deploying its state-of-the-art FiOS network in suburban Maryland and Virginia.

Inside the building at the site of the rally, the PSC held a closed hearing Thursday on what Connect-DC says is a flawed settlement with Verizon over its customers' many service complaints stemming from lost jobs and minimal investment, if any, in the existing network.

"It is time for the D.C. government to stop giving in to  Verizon's demands and hold the company accountable," the fliers stated. "Let the PSC know that it is their responsibility to ensure that D.C. residents have access to equitable, reliable, quality phone service."  For more information:  www.connect-dc.org.