Formal Complaint filed with Federal Trade Commission
Regarding Verizon's anti-competitive practices against third-party ISPs
(original document)
Date: 22 Oct 2001
Filed By: Laird Bedore
Age: 20 - 29
Street Address: 2707 E. Grand Reserve Cir. #1416
City: Clearwater
State: Florida
Country: UNITED STATES
Zip Code: 33759
E-Mail Address: lmbedore@vectorstar.com
Home Phone: 727-726-3118
Work Phone: 813-621-7881 Ext. 23
Subject Of Complaint: Computers/Internet Services
Name of Company you are Complaining About: Verizon Online
Street Address: 5525 MacArthur Ste 320
City: Irving
State: Texas
Country: UNITED STATES
Zip Code: 75038
Company Web Site: http://www.verizon.com/
My area of concern with Verizon Online, a subsidiary of Verizon Communications, is with anti-competitive business practices in the field of Broadband Internet Access, specifically Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connectivity.
DSL service consists of two fundamental parts: The circuit connectivity (which in this geographic area is provided only by Verizon Advanced Data) and the Internet Service. The Internet service can be provided by any DSL-providing ISP which has a contract with Verizon Advanced Data.
Verizon Online is Verizon's DSL-providing ISP. When ordering DSL connectivity from Verizon, customers are automatically put through to Verizon Online (for their ISP) without being asked. Order requests for DSL automatically sign up customers for Verizon Online Internet Service without the customer ever being given the option to use a third-party ISP.
For customers wishing to use a third-party ISP, correcting this error in the order is practically impossible. Neither Verizon Communications nor Verizon Online make available to customers the contact information (phone numbers, web site, etc) for Verizon Advanced Data, who handle DSL "circuit-only orders."
Technical support numbers for Verizon Advanced Data (the only department capable of assisting third-party ISP users of DSL connectivity) are not provided by Verizon Communications or Verizon Online. All support links on Verizon's website, as well as Verizon Support technicians, explicitly avoid giving contact information for Verizon Advanced Data.
Verizon Communications is cornering their customers into using Verizon Online as their ISP, or suffer the consequence of nearly-uninstallable internet access and unreachable service. This means of business by Verizon Communications and Verizon Online is a direct and deliberate anti-competitive business practice against third-party ISPs.