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From CEO of FairPoint



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Published: July 1, 2009

I am excited to have been appointed chairman and CEO of FairPoint Communications. This letter is one way in which I plan to introduce myself. I am energized about this opportunity to serve as CEO at a pivotal time in FairPoint's development.

I completely understand there is a big job ahead of us. Now more than ever, all of us at FairPoint have to roll up our sleeves and remain focused on completing the largest systems integration in the history of the telecommunications industry. Longer-term, FairPoint will move forward to become an advanced telecommunications provider to both residential and business customers, with broadband serving as its backbone. This is only one of several key challenges that lie ahead. However, I firmly believe that the experience I gained in my 35 years at Duke Energy in varying financial and operational positions will help us succeed.

The issues facing FairPoint today have been raised by many stakeholders. We are taking a number of proactive steps to stabilize our financial situation and in all scenarios, let me reassure you we would continue to operate providing products and services to our customers. From my perspective, we all need to keep moving forward and work toward our shared goals – a robust communications network that allows our customers to thrive in today's world, a record of excellent customer service, and a financially strong company poised for growth.

No doubt FairPoint's reputation has been damaged during the recent transition. It is my job, and the job of all FairPoint employees, to do everything we can to make the FairPoint experience of current — and future customers — a positive one. I take that responsibility very seriously.

Thank you.

David Hauser







READER COMMENTS


"Fairpoint management should be stripped of pay and their personal bank accounts emptied. They're a bunch of chimps in suits."

Now, how is that going to help us?
Vermonters who have no alternative to Fairpoint?
-- Posted by A None on Fri, Jul 3, 2009, 10:58 pm EST

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Fairpoint management should be stripped of pay and their personal bank accounts emptied. They're a bunch of chimps in suits.
-- Posted by Olde Man on Fri, Jul 3, 2009, 10:34 pm EST

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Fairpoint borrowed the cash to buy out Verizon. It may be a while before full service is restored.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36088286@N05/3358318140/" title="lilytomlince2 by beansforlunch, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3437/3358318140_274fef5c7c.jpg" width="288" height="320" alt="lilytomlince2" /></a>
-- Posted by Joshua Bernstein on Fri, Jul 3, 2009, 4:02 pm EST

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".....I don't think there's a single Vermonter that believes these witless morons at Fairpoint."

.-- Posted by Olde Man on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, 6:26 pm EST

That's exactly their problem.
Although I do believe that those Vermonters employed by Fairpoint are mostly competent and interested in doing their best.
It's the overall model.
Why did Verizon want to sell?
Because they thought the future is in wireless.

It's tough for those Vermonters as myself who live less than 10 miles from our state capital and have absolutely no other choice of telecommuniction but Fairpoint.
No cable, no DSL, no Wireless, no cell phone reception.
(Satellite doesn't count as high speed internet access),

If Fairpoint goes bankrupt and out of business so will I.
-- Posted by A None on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, 9:33 pm EST

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I agree with Joelen. Vermont was warned repeatedly by the labor unions that Fairpoint was a JOKE and could not do the job. They were right. Mr. Hauser is just the latest monkey in a suit. Service will not get better. Fairpoint is a total failure.

Thanks Governor Douglas and puppet Dave O'Brien for your utterly incompetent leadership. How much will Fairpoint be contributing to the Governor Douglas reelection campaign ??

I don't think there's a single Vermonter that believes these witless morons at Fairpoint.

.
-- Posted by Olde Man on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, 6:26 pm EST

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Ooops! I meant, that Fairpoint wasn't a viable corporation that could do the job.
-- Posted by Joelen Mulvaney on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, 1:33 pm EST

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the unions in Vermont and elsewhere and many other Vermonters warned us this would happen and that Verizon was not a viable corporation....when will we listen?
-- Posted by Joelen Mulvaney on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, 1:32 pm EST

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One word for you service......I changed to Vonage.
-- Posted by keepthechange2012 on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, 9:14 am EST

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Hey A None..loved the comment about "the battery on your phone"....running out....
Me too...I have internet, but I NEVER will have a land line again..!
A note to all....watch VERY carefully your itemized charges, even after you cancel phone service..you may find yourself billed for stuff you may or may not have had, even after you canceled it...and if you don't pay...your credit rating could take a beating..
-- Posted by CJ maloney on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, 7:19 am EST

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Good luck, Mr.Hauser

One problem I'm having with Fairpoint's customer service is that I can't get payment I made in March applied to my account.
Every month when I call I'm assured that the payment has been found and that it will be forwarded to the processing center.
But it never happens.
And lately I'm put on hold and end up back in the waiting "loop" and then get a new customer service representative.
A few times I had to wait so long that my battery on my phone ran out.
-- Posted by A None on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, 2:47 pm EST

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Regularly save your mail and e-mail contacts. It was ONLY because of this issue I am with FairPoint today, but I am readying myself for the the next service snafu and will to jump to Comcast by taking these measures. On Monday, a service technician arrived based on Friday's phone call for service and I was impressed with the speed or response compared to May and thought this was the end of having an erratic Internet connection since my move, requiring two in-home service calls and two service calls over the phone. However, when I turned off my computer to eat supper and go for a walk, I came back and was extremely angry that I could not get on the Internet at all
-- Posted by Christina Colombe on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, 10:18 am EST

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The situation Fairpoint finds itself in can be compared to someone buying a VERY expensive car , loses their job and can not afford the payments! I have Fairpoint at both my homes , my summer one has been with Fairpoint for years and several years ago we had awful wait times for telephone service when you called the business office. After many calls to VPS they had vermont callers select #5 and they would answer almost immediately. Now there is NO problem with what is called FAIRTPOINT CLASSIC . The former Verizon service has been another matter but getting better with shorter wait times. However I have had as my internet provider Earthlink and pay $10.95 a month so have avoided the nightmare Fairpoint e-mail addresses experience. This company is in THE PERFECT STORM situation and I have great doubts it will survive.
-- Posted by charlene bostrom on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, 9:49 am EST

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Mr. Hauser was elevated to CEO from the FairPoint board. I'd say he's one of the reasons we FairPoint consumers are suffering so much for so long.

I think this company is doomed, but on the bright side, a fire sale may give us a company willing and able to do the job.
-- Posted by Mel Parker on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, 8:56 am EST

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Mr. Hauser

I hope you can really do the job of correcting the problems that have been occuring since your company began the purchase of the Verizon lines here in Vermont.

My biggest concern as a customer is the sever lack of good customer service and technical support for your internet service. Also the simple yet complex Web Mail program used for email. I placed a call three weeks ago and am still waiting for the promised return call from a technician who will address my problem. I only got good help back in February/March because I found the phone number for your Charlotte NC headquarters and talked to a very nice lady there who connected me with a supervisor in Portland Maine who took care of my internet mail problems within a few weeks.

If you don't know it already, your losing lots of customers because of your internet problems.

My best wishes for you in your new position at Fairpoint.
Laurie Grimm
Newport, VT
-- Posted by Laurie Grimm on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, 6:23 am EST

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