NY PSC Adopts $72M Altice Settlement in Isaias Probe
Altice will spend nearly $72 million in New York state to increase resiliency and resolve a notice of apparent violation for its Hurricane Isaias response (see 2102110066). Public service commissioners voted 4-0 to adopt the settlement at their virtual meeting…
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Thursday. The cable operator agreed to spend about $68.5 million over two years in capital and operational storm-related remedial measures, including network upgrades and additional staff and training, and give $3.4 million in customer credits for outages, said Department of Public Service Investigations and Enforcement Director Joseph Suich. Interim PSC Chair John Howard, at his first meeting in that role, urged Congress to “grant all states the ability to regulate data services as utility services, as we now know ... how dependent we are on data and internet services.” Storms are tough and “lack of communication” is “totally unacceptable,” said Commissioner Tracey Edwards. "Altice has been working with the NY PSC since Storm Isaias last summer to jointly examine opportunities for enhancements in how we communicate and engage with our customers, communities, and public officials during severe weather events," a spokesperson emailed. "We look to ensure that the long-term service investments we're making continue to improve the customer experience and benefit all our tri-state area customers." Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said the settlement makes clear that telecoms "have an obligation to prepare for severe weather and to develop robust storm-response programs, and if they fail to adequately do that job we will hold them accountable and force them to change."