FairPoint says service is improving

(Host) FairPoint Communications says it has improved customer service in recent months. But the company says it still needs more time to completely resolve its problems.

The company's comments came as it faced a deadline late Thursday to respond to state regulators. The state wants the company to show why its license to operate in Vermont should not be revoked.

FairPoint spokeswoman Beth Fastiggi says customers have seen the real changes. For example, she said, consumers don't have to wait on hold to get a complaint resolved.

(Fastiggi) "As far as the residential customers' experiences, when they call our call centers they get through right away, typically in less than 20 seconds."

(Host) But Fastiggi said it will still take time before the company has a full plan in place to fix all the problems.

(Fastiggi) "It's a series of steps and an entire process that you have to go through. So many of the changes that will need to be made we will actually have to have someone take a look at the system. So we still have a lot of work to do to improve service in the long run."

(Host) Officials at the Department of Public Service said they had just received the filing and could not comment in detail. Spokesman Steve Wark said the state is still concerned about whether the company has spelled out a detailed plan for improvement.