FairPoint Settles With Vermont Department of Public Service

FairPoint Communications reached a settlement agreement with the Vermont Department of Public Service that would resolve the state's service quality investigation pending since December (see 1503040062), said a company news release. The settlement calls for FairPoint to pay a significant number of retroactive customer bill credits for out-of-service repair delays and to provide better guidance to phone customers who are eligible for such credits in the future, it said. The agreement supports a new proceeding at the Vermont Public Service Board on the scope of regulatory obligations applicable to FairPoint in light of significant changes in the competitive telecom landscape in the past several years, the release said. The agreement requires approval by the Vermont Public Service Board. The PSB will consider the settlement agreement during scheduled hearings in September.