Senate President Urges Fairpoint to Seek Independent Audit

July 28, 2009

Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell released the following statement on the Public Advocate’s July 24, 2009 filing with the Public Utilities Commission which asked that Fairpoint be directed to engage an independent entity with expert knowledge of digital telephone networks and integrated computer systems.

“As Fairpoint continues to struggle to provide consistent, reliable phone and internet service to Maine people and Maine businesses, it is clear that the present course is not sustainable. I applaud the Public Advocate for his efforts and urge Fairpoint to embrace the approach outlined in the filing.

“Since Fairpoint took over operations in February, customers have experienced a myriad issues including: delayed and inaccurate billing, early or unscheduled termination of accounts, untimely responses to service requests and trouble receiving calls after they have migrated to a different provider. Experts indicate that these problems exist because the computer systems used by Fairpoint are incapable of integrating the complex network of data necessary to successfully operate a telephone company.

“As these problems persist, it is only common sense that an expert look at what is causing these problems, identify how these problems can be resolved and how long it is going to take. Over the past few months Fairpoint has made an effort to correct many of these problems but the major problems with their computer system persists, exposing Mainers to service disruptions at much too high a rate.

“Unreliable phone and internet service is more than just a hassle for consumers. The current state of our land line communications service is hurting Maine businesses and potentially putting the safety of Maine families at risk. To be successful, businesses need to communicate with customers, suppliers and other businesses. Families need to be able to call the doctor, fire department or caregiver in the event of an emergency. Having anything less than a first rate communications system in place is unacceptable.

“In order to get back to business as usual we need to move beyond finger pointing and identify what the problems are and how Fairpoint can go about fixing them. Engaging an outside auditor is the first step, but I am also asking that the Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy to invite the Public Advocate to a public hearing to discuss what the impact on Maine consumers has been and what needs to be done to ensure that Maine consumers have access to a world class land line and broadband communications system. It is my hope that this public hearing will help shed light on the problems with Fairpoint’s computer system and highlight the solutions that will take us where we need to go”