Verizon workers can now be fired if they fix copper phone lines
Found on Ars Technica on Wednesday, 05 October 2016
Verizon has told its field technicians in Pennsylvania that they can be fired if they try to fix broken copper phone lines. Instead, employees must try to replace copper lines with a device that connects to Verizon Wireless’s cell phone network.
The wireless home phone service, VoiceLink, is not a proper replacement for copper phone lines because it doesn’t work with security alarms, fax machines, medical devices such as pacemakers that require telephone monitoring, and other services, the union said.
One solution would be to let them hook you up to VoiceLink (against your wish) and then sue them out of business when your house is broken into or someone dies. Providers will always try to find the cheapest method to provide a service, not the most reliable or suitable one. If problems and the resulting lawsuits get too numerous they can always go bankrupt and weasel their way out. Management won't care because they can find a job somewhere else.