To the editor:

My husband and I live in Livingston Manor; Verizon provided phone service until last Tuesday, when there was a rainstorm. Our phone is the final one on its line with a wire attached to a bridge at Willowemoc Creek attached with a “temporary” rachet strap and visible splice. The county road crew said that Verizon would return for a permanent fix. This never happened.

After the rains of July 28th, we lost our land line. We are in our 80s and are both handicapped. We received an email that our phone would be repaired by 3 pm.

We waited; nothing. Next day my husband called Verizon; it took over an hour, switched from one recording to another. He was finally connected with an agent.

He explained he was waiting for a call from a surgeon to schedule a procedure on an unknown date this week. He was assured that the phone would be restored by 3 pm on the 30th. It was not.

The following day, it was my turn. I called Verizon, talked to robots. I reached a human who assured me that we would have service by 3 pm on the 31st; by day’s end, no land line.

On Saturday Aug. 1st my husband called again, he reached a human who made identical promises. Then we took Sunday off. We have no land line; my husband called his surgeon, but the cell service is spotty; they could not hear him. Today is Aug. 3rd and Verizon said, “maybe this week.” He will call the doctor from a neighbor’s phone.

Verizon personnel have lied repeatedly and ignored our requests for help. “There oughtta be a law.” Is there?

Barbara Martinsons

Livingston Manor