Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) urged Frontier Communications Corporation CEO Dan McCarthy to address poor landline service throughout West Virginia.

The letter said in part, “In times of crisis, no one should ever have to think twice about whether he or she will be able to call for help. Unfortunately, I have been alerted of several instances where my constituents who utilize Frontier’s landline service have not been able to complete calls due to service outages.”

The letter continues, “The safety of my constituents is my highest priority and the fact that so many of them are unable to do something as basic as calling 911 for assistance is unacceptable. Access to phone service is not a luxury; it is a critical lifeline that could mean the difference between life and death and I implore you to resolve this problem within your company immediately.”

Read the full letter below or click here:

Dear Mr. McCarthy,

In times of crisis, no one should ever have to think twice about whether he or she will be able to call for help. Unfortunately, I have been alerted of several instances where my constituents who utilize Frontier’s landline service have not been able to complete calls due to service outages. 

Contrary to what has been reported by the Federal Communication Commission, many West Virginians lack adequate access to mobile cellular coverage meaning that their landline is their only option for phone service. That is why I am extremely concerned to hear that outages of your company’s landline service have become a persistent issue across West Virginia. The safety of my constituents is my highest priority and the fact that so many of them are unable to do something as basic as calling 911 for assistance is unacceptable.

Access to phone service is not a luxury; it is a critical lifeline that could mean the difference between life and death and I implore you to resolve this problem within your company immediately.  I respectfully ask for a prompt and thorough response with the specific steps your company is taking to provide stronger, more reliable landline service throughout the state of West Virginia.  

Thank you for your attention to this matter and I stand ready to assist you in any way possible to ensure my constituents have the resources they need during an emergency.