July 9, 2003 — "We want better service" was the cry of several frustrated Innovative Telephone consumers as they voiced their complaints about the telephone company Tuesday night at a Public Services Commission hearing on St. Thomas.
The public hearing was one of three called to hear consumer comments on the quality of service being received from the telephone company.
"The reason for having the hearings is to ensure the company is providing quality service," said Sandra Setorie, assistant executive director, who served as co-hearing examiner at the meeting.
Setorie said over the past eight months the PSC has received a large number of complaints from Innovative's consumers. A docket was opened to investigate and review the company's performance.
About 20 consumers attended the hearing but several were reluctant to voice their complaints. Most of the complaints heard were about the long waiting period for repairs and service, but other concerns surfaced, too.
Cheryl Miller, president of the St. Thomas-St. John Arts Council, told the PSC that the council has been receiving bills for "nonservice." Miller said the council terminated its phone service in October 2001 but is still receiving invoices.
"The frustrating, yet humorous, point is that I continue to receive telephone bills," Miller said. She added that no one at Innovative has responded to her complaints, and the bills keep increasing.
Stevie Henry also asked the PSC to "take action for Innovative to cease its improper billing practice." He said he kept receiving overdue notices even though he paid his bill on time.
Glenn Freeman, an ex-Innovative employee and resident of the Hospital Ground area, told PSC members he was frustrated by the frequent phone outages. Freeman also said he was unable to receive services such as caller ID, faxes and the Internet. Because the Hospital Ground area is on a carrier system — a temporary system for providing service to an area — residents cannot get those special services.
Another Hospital Ground resident also complained about the lack of services.
Still other consumers complained about getting annoying recordings such as "All circuits are busy now" and "Your special feature code has been entered improperly" when trying to put through calls.
Representatives of Innovative attended the meeting but did not address the complaints.
The other public hearings will take place at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday on St. John at the Legislature Conference Room in Cruz Bay and at 5:30 p.m. Thursday on St. Croix at the Legislative Conference Room in Frederiksted.
Commission members Verne David and Alric Simmonds and Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone, a non-voting member, attended the St. Thomas hearing.
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