Verizon Communications has fired six workers and suspended more than three dozen others in Taunton, Mass. for engaging in “illegal gambling.”

But some union workers suspect Verizon’s sudden interest in last winter’s Super Bowl office pool may have more to do with the company’s ongoing conflict with its union employees, who resumed work several weeks ago after a short strike.  The company and members of the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers are still trying to come to terms on a contract renewal agreement.

One sales representative at Verizon, wishing to remain anonymous, told Wicked Local she didn’t understand the company’s sudden interest in office pools, which have been commonplace among workers at Verizon for years.  In fact, Verizon was encouraging sales staff to participate in their own version of a Super Bowl contest tied to sales performance, although one that didn’t reward winners with cash prices. Engage in legal gambling at pnp kasino.

The sales representative echoed the sentiments of many members of the Boston media who were wondering, “What’s the big deal?”

WBZ Radio’s NightSide Weekend Commentary features Dan Rea dismissing claims that the office pool crackdown had nothing to do with Verizon’s union troubles.  Aired: September 18, 2011. (2 minutes)
You must remain on this page to hear the clip, or you can download the clip and listen later.

Verizon says illegal activity on company property is always forbidden, and adds it took a long time to complete the investigation before finally acting with termination notices for some, suspensions for many others.

Most of the affected workers belong to Local 2222 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Eric Hetrick, business manager for Local 1400, another union with affected members, issued a press release late Friday afternoon stating that his local is conducting its own investigation into the circumstances of the firings and suspensions.

“Many of the affected workers have exemplary records with Verizon and some are long-term employees,” he told the Taunton Daily Gazette in an e-mail, adding that additional comment at this time would not be appropriate.

[flv width=”640″ height=”500″]http://www.phillipdampier.com/video/WWLP Springfield Verizon Workers Fired Over Office Pool 9-12-11.flv[/flv]

WWLP-TV in Springfield covers the firings of Verizon workers over a Super Bowl office pool.  Bonus: A completely incomprehensible interview with one local resident commenting on the potential impact on office pools elsewhere.  (1 minute)

Wheatley (Courtesy: Sarasota County Sheriff)

A Port Charlotte, Fla. man faces charges of “exposure of sexual organs” after allegedly exposing and performing sexual acts on himself while installing a Sarasota woman’s Comcast cable and Internet service.

Shane Wheatley, 31, was arrested Tuesday after a nearly-tw0-month investigation by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s office.

The victim, 24, claims Wheatley was sent by Comcast to install service at her apartment and while he performed the installation work, he also began making sexually oriented gestures and eventually exposed himself while staring and smiling at her.

The woman fled the apartment to call authorities.

Wheatley initially told investigators he had done nothing wrong, but after a lengthy investigation, sheriff’s deputies arrested Wheatley last week at the Venice Police Department office on Ridgewood Drive and booked him at the county jail with a $500 bond.

His trial date has not yet been announced.

AT&T and Verizon: The Doublemint Twins of Wireless

Mirroring AT&T’s announcement last month that it would begin implementing speed throttles for wireless unlimited data plan customers who are among the “top 5% of users,” Verizon Wireless quietly made changes last week allowing the company to throttle its own unlimited data plan “heavy users” who consume more than 2GB of usage per month on its 3G network.

But Verizon claims it isn’t actually throttling the speeds of customers, it is simply engaging in “network optimization practices” and using “network intelligence” to reduce speeds (sometimes to near-dial-up) while connected to a “congested cell site.”

That will prove a distinction without much difference to customers who rely on 3G data usage using cell sites Verizon deems congested.  They may also find the time spent in Verizon’s penalty box unusually long.

“You may experience [reduced speeds] for the remainder of your then current bill cycle and immediately following bill cycle,” Verizon’s FAQ states.

That can mean customers paying $30 a month for an “unlimited data plan” may find 3G usage a very slow experience for a maximum of two months before they are off Verizon’s throttle list.

The new speed throttle policy began Sept. 15.  Verizon:

Network Optimization practices and throttling is network intelligence.  With throttling, your wireless data speed is reduced for your entire cycle, 100% of the time, no matter where you are. Network Optimization is based on the theory that all customers should have the best network possible, and if you’re not causing congestion for others, even if you are using a high amount of data, your connection speed should be as good as possible. So, if you’re in the top 5% of data users, your speed is reduced only when you are connected to a congested cell site. Once you are no longer connected to a congested site, your speed will return to normal. This could mean a matter of seconds or hours, depending on your location and time of day.

Verizon has not said exactly how many of its cell sites it deems as “congested,” at what times that congestion is most likely to occur, and admits there is currently no way customers can learn when they are connected to a congested site so they can make an informed decision about their usage.

But the company does say customers can avoid the penalty:

1. Upgrade to a 4G phone and hope for good 4G LTE coverage.  Customers using Verizon’s 4G network are not currently subject to a speed penalty for “excessive use.”
2. “Upgrade” to a tiered data plan with usage allowances.  Verizon will not throttle the speeds of customers who are not on unlimited data plans.
3. Reduce your data usage, especially in areas where congestion is likely.

Choke collars are in season at AT&T and Verizon Wireless, leaving Sprint's unlimited service looking more consumer-friendly by the day.

Those suggestions require potentially pricey new handsets, require customers to abandon their existing unlimited data usage plan, or simply get you thinking twice before launching a data session, fearing being grounded for up to two months with a dramatically reduced level of service.

The biggest impact of the network speed throttles will be among data-heavy iPhone users.  Apple’s iPhone doesn’t support 4G, and is likely to continue to rely on 3G network coverage when the next version of the popular phone is introduced in October.  Ultimately, Verizon’s new policy means iPhone devotees using more than 2GB per month may have to abandon their phone or their unlimited data plan if they want to avoid the throttle.

Verizon also found a way to keep customers from canceling penalty-free, noting contract changes that reserved the right to implement network management techniques were made in February.  The 60-day window for the “materially-adverse” contract change cancellation policy expired in April.  Verizon:

By alerting customers in February 2011, and including the notice in our terms and conditions as of February 3, 2011, we made sure customers knew we began reserving the right to implement Network Optimization practices.  In February 2011, we began alerting customers:

• Data Management – (note: now named “Network Optimization” to more accurately describe the tools) – Verizon Wireless may reduce data throughput speeds in a given bill cycle for customers who use an extraordinary amount of data and fall within the top 5% of data users.  The reduction will only apply to those using congested cell sites and can last for the remainder of the current and immediately following billing cycle.  The reductions will only apply when appropriate in locations and at times of peak demand.
• Data Optimization – (note: now named “Video Optimization” to more accurately describe its function) – Verizon Wireless is implementing optimization and transcoding technologies in its network to transmit data files in a more efficient manner to allow available network capacity to benefit the greatest number of users, and although unlikely, the process may minimally impact the appearance of the file as displayed on the mobile device.

Interestingly, AT&T’s own speed throttle penalty was estimated to kick in after 4GB of usage, not the 2GB Verizon is using as its benchmark for “network optimization.”  Verizon also says customers with their Mobile Hotspot feature will find that usage exempted from counting towards the 2GB threshold.

Verizon has opened up a new web page explaining the throttling policy.

[Thanks to Stop the Cap! reader Mileena, among many others, who shared the news with us.]

Still Not Measuring Usage Correctly

Bell Canada’s Internet usage meter is still giving wildly inaccurate measurements of Internet usage, some customers allege.

Eleanor White, a Bell broadband customer, found Bell measuring some 30-44GB of usage, despite the fact the biggest bandwidth application in use by the account holder is a 16kbps audio stream running regularly throughout the day.

White estimates the monthly usage from that radio stream can’t be more than three gigabytes for the entire month, even leaving the stream running 16 hours a day.

“I hardly ever watch online video, and I estimate my usage from the radio stream and doubling it to account for e-mail reading and web browsing to be no more than 5.6GB a month,” White says. “But Bell measures at least 6-8 times as much, month after month.”

Bell’s usage meter has been implicated repeatedly for being inaccurate, occasionally by the company itself.  But the tool remains online and Bell continues to maintain its Internet Overcharging schemes, even for customers on its hybrid fiber-copper Fibe network.

Customers accuse Bell of overmeasuring usage on Fibe broadband as well.

“From the moment I got switched to Fibe, my traffic [measurement] went through the roof, at least according to the traffic monitor,” says Jurjen.  “[But that measurement doesn’t reflect] what we were actually using the Internet for.”

“Don’t try to get this solved; Bell won’t do anything (trust me, I tried for about five months),” Jurjen says. “The only solution: switch ISPs.”

Jurjen thinks the day holding Bell accountable for their broken usage meter is long overdue.

“For every service that you get billed by a unit, you must be certified by Measurements Canada. Just check your local gas station, it’ll have stickers all over. Same for your electricity provider,” Jurjen says.

“However, Bell is not certified by Measurements Canada. If you have a lot of spare time and money, do us a favor and start a trial against Bell.”

[flv width=”640″ height=”380″]http://www.phillipdampier.com/video/EPB Fiber Optics Testimonials 9-11.flv[/flv]

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