Concerns have been raised over the FCC having no ability to regulate a mobile wireless network operator after a senior citizen was left without phone service for several days.
Earlier this year, Verizon Communications Inc, which trades as VZ on the New York Stock Exchange, shut down Yahoo Mobile, which a senior citizen mother had used for over a year.
Yahoo was previously owned and operated by Verizon. However, Verizon decided to separately sell the Yahoo brand and, as a result, Yahoo Mobile operations ceased.
The family of the senior citizen tried to switch her service to CREDO mobile and the port failed – and she lost phone service for several days.
She was only able to go to a Verizon Wireless Reseller in Albany, Georgia, operated by Russell Cellular in late June, which was able to rescue and keep her phone number that she has had since the days of analog bag phones.
But to this day, the family are unable to register her phone for online account servicing.
They have tried going through countless phone calls and Twitter customer service sessions only to be left with no resolution and nobody willing to follow up with them on the issue.
Robert Thompson, who is her son, has reached out to the FCC through its complaint portal. Yahoo Mobile responded to the FCC and told them that he was his mom’s husband, not her son.
Mr Thompson says the FCC then ‘gave up’ and closed the complaint with no resolution.
The family tried to port the number out to AT&T Inc, which trades as T on the New York Stock Exchange, but Verizon denied the port request and incorrectly stated the number is not in service.
Mr Thompson and his mom then took a vacation to Canada and Verizon cut her phone service off again with no warning, asking for more money and no ability to resolve the issue other than to pay more fees to reinstate the service.
Her son has now reached out to his congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-GA) to see if she is able intervene in the matter.
See https://twitter.com/cantaffordthem1/status/1444041912835510276?s=20
https://twitter.com/cantaffordthem1/status/1444037972500918275?s=20
https://twitter.com/cantaffordthem1/status/1444028973659328517?s=20
