Internet, Phone Services Restored for Verizon Customers After Round Fire Damage

NEWBURY PARK, Calif., Feb. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Working round-the-clock, Verizon has restored Internet, wireless and landline phone services to residential and small-business customers after the Round fire burned more than 7,000 acres and damaged more than 40,000 feet of fiber-optic and copper cables that help provide communications and broadband services to many in the Bishop and Mammoth Lakes area. 

Verizon teamed up with Arizona-based Praxis Fiber to expedite the restoral of service.

Due to the severity of the damage to power lines and poles – as well as to the fiber and copper cable – Verizon initially estimated that it could take up to several weeks to repair the damaged facilities. However, Praxis Fiber, which is working on a project and has fiber facilities in the area, has provided Verizon with access to its fiber cable, hastening the restoration of services to many customers who had been without phone or Internet service.

"Our hearts go out to those affected by this devastating fire, and Verizon is committed to ensure that residents can communicate with friends and loved ones and that local businesses can get back to serving their customers," said Margaret Serjak, region president of Verizon California. "With some outstanding work by Verizon and Praxis Fiber employees, we're able to return Internet and phone service for many residents and small businesses, far ahead of our initial projections.

"We will continue to bring back service for the remaining customers over the coming days," said Serjak.

Customers can contact Verizon online at www.verizon.com/outage or 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966) to report any wireline service-related issue.  

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 108 million retail connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide. A Dow 30 company with more than $127 billion in 2014 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 177,300. For more information, visit www.verizon.com/news/.

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SOURCE Verizon

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