Upset over proposed benefits changes, an estimated 50% of Verizon Communications’ Mid-Atlantic workforce went on strike Sunday morning at midnight. The strike came after Verizon announced a proposed contract that would freeze their worker’s pensions and require them to contribute to their health insurance premiums (might be a good time to quickly get your EHIC).
What this means for you:
Expect delays in new orders, repairs and upgrades. The last time Verizon workers went on strike, we saw extended timelines for most of Teltek’s customer orders and repairs, especially new service installations. Some new service installations extended upwards of 90-120 days, which is nearly triple to quadruple the normal timeline for implementation of new business T1 phone and internet services.
While Verizon is no longer a monopoly, they do continue to own and manage much of the cable infrastructure in the ground, leaving other Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECS) dependent upon them for some or all of their service transportation.
How to Avoid a Delay:
Preplan! If you are getting ready to relocate your office or switch phone/internet carriers, plan for a worst case scenario and allow a 90-120 day timeline. Fully understand that if your new carrier owns the cable in the ground, most of the time Verizon owns the “last mile” or part of the cable that connects your building to the telecommunications cable infrastructure. Even if your new carrier owns 99% of the cable to your office and Verizon owns 1%, you are likely to experience a delay throughout this strike.
For additional information or support with your telephone and internet service in Maryland, DC or Virginia, please contact Teltek.