BELMONT, N.Y. — A Belmont couple is speaking out after Verizon announced it was phasing out copper landlines. With already poor service in their area, they fear the cuts would leave them "stranded."
Paul and Leilani Marotti have lived in Belmont since 2001, relying on a copper landline that has been in place since the 1960s. Now, they say Verizon has told them that service will end in November.
The Marottis are among customers across New York receiving notices as Verizon seeks authority from the Federal Communications Commission to discontinue legacy plain old telephone service delivered over copper lines, part of a transition toward fiber, fixed wireless, cellular wireless and satellite options.
"The repairman said we're the only second family here on Irish Settlement with copper lines, but sorry to say you're gonna be losing it in November," Leilani said.
Their concern centers on what happens when the power goes out. Paul uses an oxygen machine and a CPAP, and the couple said the only cell signal they can get comes through a powered, amplified antenna mounted on their property.
"If we lose it, we don't have cell service because then we don't have power," Leilani said. "And without power we can't call the power company."
Leilani said that without the external antenna, she would have to walk to the middle of the dirt road or to the top of a hill to get one or two bars for a cell call.
Paul said his oxygen bottle lasts four to five hours. "That's it, and then I'm out."
The couple said they depend on the phone for everything: reporting outages, confirming the road has been plowed, and reaching help during a medical emergency. They described the road as their only route out, and they said they have to call to get it plowed when heavy snow falls.
"If the snowplow can't get to the road, we're stuck here abandoned," Paul said.
Crystal Malota, nutrition services coordinator for the Office for the Aging, said many places in the area do not have wireless cell service.
"If they don't have a landline that connects their home to a phone, they don't have any phone at all," Malota said. "Even if they had fiber optics, if the electricity went out, they don't have it either because the phone goes out."
Malota said one client lives in an area no wireless company serves. She said options for residents losing landlines are very limited, noting some clients use personal emergency response units that require wireless service to function.
"If there is not a landline, they would have to have someone, a neighbor or a family member who lives in Allegheny County, check on them," she said.
U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called on Verizon to ensure uninterrupted, reliable service, protect customers from higher costs and provide transparency about what alternative technologies mean for emergency access and power outages.
"Verizon must guarantee that this transition will not mean higher costs, especially for seniors, residents on fixed incomes, or small businesses, and that any alternative options will provide reliable service to contact emergency services, including during power outages," Schumer said in a statement.
According to Verizon's website, customers will continue to have access to reliable voice service, including for emergency communications, and that it will not discontinue copper service if a customer does not have access to an approved replacement.
Replacement options may include fiber in some areas or a service using the customer's existing home phone on Verizon's wireless network. Customers can keep their phone number and can choose other providers.
On power outages, Verizon says equipment provided for fiber and fixed wireless replacement services will include battery backup using commercially available replaceable batteries to allow continued use during commercial power outages. Emergency services, including 911, will continue to perform seamlessly, according to the company.
